Author: Bonface Osano

The trial of Lamine Diack, the disgraced former head of athletics’ world governing body the IAAF, will get under way in Paris on Monday. The 86-year-old Senegalese faces corruption and money-laundering charges linked to the Russian doping scandal. Diack was investigated by French authorities for four years over claims he took payments of more than 3m euros to cover up cheating. He has been under house arrest in Paris since November 2015. The landmark trial is scheduled to run for the next two weeks. Diack denies the charges, but if found guilty he could face up to 10 years in…

Preparations ahead of football resumption in Tanzania heightened over the weekend with the country’s most decorated club Yanga SC staging a friendly match in Dar. Ligi Kuu, Tanzania’s top flight, is scheduled to re-start on Saturday after the government announced lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, including mass gatherings, starting this month. The league like most across the world was stopped in March to help curb spread of the deadly virus amongst spectators and other actors. Yanga, who still have a slim chance of winning the league, lost 3-0 to KMC in the build up match played at Uhuru Stadium, Dar and…

President Uhuru Kenyatta move to extend measures aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19, including a ban on mass gatherings, by thirty days has spelt more doom for community clubs like Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards. Against high expectations from majority Kenyans, who hoped the Head of State would fully open up the economy, Mr Kenyatta, while giving more weight to health reasons, extended the lock down measures on Saturday. The decision further dashed hopes of the Kenyan Premier League resuming and community clubs cashing in on gate collection, their main source of income, to pay players. Read: Mudavadi…

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has told Kenyan Premier League (KPL) it would be impossible to re-start the 2019-20 season. He has urged them to either cancel the season and hand Gor Mahia the title or simply nullify it. The league was suspended in March with ten rounds to go to help curb person to person spread of the Coronavirus. Football Kenya Federation (FKF) consequently moved to end the season and declare Gor Mahia KPL champions, a move KPL management has contested. Read: Confusion As KPL Signals Resumption Of Already Cancelled Season While declaring they are the mandated body to…

Liverpool are a breathe away from clinching their first Premier League title in 30 years. Two victories in nine remaining fixtures will see them home and dry. But with mass gatherings still banned in England to curb person to person spread of the COVID-19, there’s no chance they’ll be allowed to stage a trophy parade. Premier League games are scheduled to resume on June 17 behind closed doors. The Reds manager Jurgen Klopp holds there’s no harm in waiting till all clears to hold a trophy parade even if next season. “That you can’t celebrate in the way you’ve always…

Michael Jordan says he will donate Kshs 10.6billion to groups fighting for racial equality and social justice. The NBA legend said in a statement that he and his Jordan Brand would distribute the money over 10 years. The money will go to a number of organisations in a bid to tackle “ingrained racism”. It comes in the wake of protests breaking out across the US and around the world following the death of George Floyd as he was restrained by police. Floyd, an unarmed black man, died on 25 May after a white police officer, since charged with murder, knelt…

AFC Leopards long term quest to own their stadium recieved a boost from Hon. Musalia Mudavadi who cleared accumulated land rate on their Kasarani parcel. At a brief ceremony at Musalia Mudavadi Centre on Tuesday, the club’s patron presented a cheque of Kshs 633,000 to the chairman Dan Shikanda to pay to the ministry of lands. Leopards and Gor Mahia were given parcels of land around Kasarani Stadium by former President Daniel Moi over 20 years ago, but the pieces still lie undeveloped. Shikanda underscored the need to house the Kenyan Premier League’s oldest club. “Leopards has been a street…

Chelsea have been named winners of the Women’s Super League title on a points-per-game ratio, while Liverpool have been relegated. When the season was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic in March, Chelsea were one point behind leaders Manchester City with a game in hand. Aston Villa, who were top of the Championship, will replace the WSL’s bottom club Liverpool next season. The Reds said they are “disappointed” with how the season has been concluded. It was decided on 25 May that the season would end with immediate effect, with 45 games outstanding in the WSL and 36 in the…

Equatorial Guinea will not renew contract of former Harambee Stars coach Sebastien Mignè when it expires end of this month. Former Harambee Stars coach Sebastian Migne is set to go for August holidays without a job. The former Kenya coach has already been linked with the coaching position with the Central Africa Republic national team. The Equatorial Guinea FA released a statement suggesting that it has decided against retaining the services of Migne. “Sébastien Migné will leave his position as national coach in July. Thanks for everything! #nzalangnacional,” reads a short note posted on federation’s Instagram page. The 46-year-old, who…

Chelsea are in talks to sign RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner. The 24-year-old Germany international has been linked with Liverpool and said he was “proud” of that association. But Liverpool are not interested in signing Werner, who has scored 25 league goals this season, according to reports. Reports suggest his release clause is about Kshs 7.2billion. Last month, French striker Olivier Giroud extended his contract by a year. Werner, who has netted 11 times in 29 games for Germany, would be Chelsea’s second signing for next season after already completing a £37m deal for Ajax winger Hakim Ziyech in February.…

Kenya Premier League (KPL) has announced intention to resume the 2019/20 season which Football Kenya Federation (FKF) cancelled over Coronavirus. KPL maintains the mandate to decide the fate of the season rests with them and are yet to take a position. The body’s Governing Council will convine next week, subject to government’s direction on the prevailing 21-day curfew, to give the way forward. “Depending on the Government’s blueprint to reopen the economy and its effect on sporting activities the Governing Council shall make its deliberation on the way forward and the status of the KPL 2019/20 season.” KPL managed to…

Ryan Giggs has been awarded the “One Club Man” honour by Athletic Bilbao. The Wales manager received the accolade for his 29 years at Manchester United that included a record 963 appearances. Giggs joined the United academy on his 14th birthday, turned professional aged 17 in November 1990 and made his first-team debut against Everton in March, 1991. He won a record 13 league titles, two European Cups, four FA Cups and four League Cups. That made Cardiff-born Giggs the most decorated British player of all time. Bilbao said he has been given their annual award “for his fantastic professional…

A section of football stakeholders have hailed Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) efforts to help break Football Kenya Federation (FKF) elections deadlock. The Tribunal brought together different factions in the disputed elections to a round table virtual meeting to chat the way forward on Tuesday. Bondeni FC chairperson Charity Wangoma praised the judge John Ohaga led tribunal, terming the meeting, which was snubbed by the FKF president Nick Mwendwa, as “the first step towards finding local solutions to local problems.” Madam Charity, who is an aspirant for the Uasin Gishu County Women Rep reiterated that stakeholders are the owners of football…

Liverpool legend Jimmie Carragher has alleged that Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is too good for the club. Despite a great individual record since joining the Gunners in 2018, the Gabonese is yet to win a silverware with the club. Aubameyang is also yet to taste Champions League football with the North Londoners. In 75 Premier League outings, the former Borussia Dortmund forward has scored impressive 49 goals. He emerged joint top scorer of the league with 22 goals in his first full season last season, sharing the accolade with Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah and Sadio Manè. So far he boasts 17…

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa has denounced a consultative forum convened by the Sports Disputes Tribunal with regard to the upcoming FKF Elections. As a follow up to its ruling on March 17, 2020, as well as its further directions thereafter, the Tribunal convened a “stakeholders” forum on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, via a video link, to among other things, get views on how the elections should be conducted. FKF was not party to the forum, backed by a letter dated June 1, 2020, sent to the tribunal, which read in part: “Ideally, a mediation process is party-driven…