Sports
Record entry for Cup Winners Cup
A record number of 35 clubs have entered the 1985 Africa Cup Winners Soccer Cup. Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Ghana's candidates for the competition have drawn a bye from the preliminary round and are due to meet Barrole Club of Liberia in March.The winner of the Kotoko-Barrole two- tie game on March 3 (Monrovia) and March 17 (Kumasi) will take on the winner of the SCAF Tocages of Central Africa Republic and ASFOSA of Togo in the one-eight final.
Dragons of Benin are poised to make history by becoming the first Benin club to win a Cup Winners' tie.
Last year they surprised Burkina Faso's USO and Real Bamako from Mali Maghreb despite winning 1-0 in Benin.
Dragons also have a home victory over the famous Cameroon club, Canon de Yaounde and a draw against Algeria's Mouloudia Petrolier D'Alger to their credit.
Coaches off to Brazil
Coach Adjei King Pele of Accra Hearts of Oak and Jones Attuquayefio, team manager of Accra Great Olympics have left Accra by air for a three-week coaching course in Brazil. While in Brazil, King Pele and Attuquayefio will be attached to the Brazilian Football Academy based in Rio de Janeiro. The annual modern Brazilian Football course for foreign trainers and coaches was expected to start on Sunday, February 3 and end on Sunday, February 24.The course is under the supervision of Brazilian trainers and former players and specialist staff from such renowned clubs as Flamingo, Botafogo, Fluminense and other Brazilian high level clubs.
Both King Pele and Attuquayefio are being sponsored by their respective clubs.
New gate fees
New gate fees proposed by the Organisation of Ghana League Clubs Association (OGLCA) for league, knockout and international matches have become operational from February 2 at all national league centres.In Accra, league and knock-out matches shall attract C20,00, C40.00, C60.00 and C100.00 gate fees. For international matches at the same venue, fees of C40.00, C60.00, C100.00 and C200.00 shall be charged.
League and knock-out matches at the Kumasi sports stadium shall draw gate charges of C20, C50 and C100 while the rates for international matches at the same venue shall be C40, C80 and £200. The charges at Sekondi, Sunyani and Cape Coast league centres shall be C20, C40 and C60. The old flat rate of C30 at Tamale, Nkawkaw and Tema shall continue to be operative. The C30 rate for all division two league club matches however remains unchanged.
Don't screen Azuma fight
The Ministry of Youth and Sports have warned against the screening without authority of the copyright holders of the Azumah Nelson-Wilfred Gomez title fight.A press statement signed by the Youth and Sports Secretary, Mr Amarkai Amarteifio cautioned that "any person who screens the Azumah Nelson - Gomez fight without authority of the copyright holders will be dealt with in the most drastic manner.
The statement however, said that video cassettes on the fight were available for sale for both private and commercial users and that interested parties should contact Ringcraft Promotions or the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Protest over title fight
The Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) has protested to the Commonwealth Boxing Championships Committee (CBCC) for selecting two Australians to fight for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight crown.The GBA explained that by the CBCC's decision to match the Australians, Sam Ago Kotey, Ghana and African Boxing Union (ABU) lightweight champion has been sidestepped. The GBA urged the CBCC to reconsider its decision.
Kotoko lift Asante cup
Otumfuo Opoku Ware II Asantehene was among a fairly large crowd of spectators who saw Fabulous Kumasi Asante Kotoko win the magnificent International Tobacco of Ghana (ITG) Cup in Kumasi. Kotoko, playing with the spirit of Asanteman behind them, beat vising Accra Great Olympics 2-1 to lift the cup.The match formed part of the activities marking the Golden Jubilee of the Restoration of Asanteman by the then colonial government of the Gold Coast.
Otumfuo, presented the cup to Skipper Addae Kyenkyehene.
Nigerian coach goes to Brazil
Former Nigeria's International soccer star, now a football coach of repute with the IBWA FC of Lagos, Mr Mutiu Okunnu, has left Lagos for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he will undergo an intensive coaching course at the Rio de Janeiro Football Academy.The journey, being sponsored by IBWA, will afford Mr Okunnu the opportunity of studying the rudiments of Brazilian soccer in all its ramifications for almost eight weeks. A former Kano academical star in the early sixties, Okunnu also had a stint with E.C.N., NEPA and Stationery Stores in the early seventies.
Erring Eagles to be pardoned
Five Green Eagles players who were banned for reporting late to camp "may soon be pardoned" by the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), the executive secretary of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Capt Maharajah Mamudu has hinted in Ibadan.He told newsmen after the new NSC director, Alhaji Babayo Shehu, had been conducted round the Liberty Stadium complex, that the NSC had already appealed to the NFA "to temper justice with mercy."
"But we have to give the NFA a chance to treat this appeal with several others from the public and reconcile them with whatever decisions or actions they will take," he said.
Sports director on tour
The new national director of sports, Alhaji Bayo, Babayo Shehu is on unofficial inspection duties outside Lagos.He was at the Liberty Stadium which, like Sportscity Lagos and Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna, is owned by the National Sports Commission (NSC).
Stadium manager Mr H. O. Shoyombo took Alhaji Shehu and party - including NSC's executive secretary Capt Maharajah Memudu, assistant director of sports Mr Jimmy Omagbemi, deputy secretary Mr E. O. Adedoyin, legal officer Miss Idowu Amadi and chief image-maker Mr Ajibade Fashina-Thomas - round this first modern sports complex.
Alhaji Shehu, also visited the nearby Oyo State Sports Council.
