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AFCON

INVESTIGATION OF AHMAD BY FIFA WON’T AFFECT AFCON, SAYS FORMER CAF SCRIBE

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“I heard some talk that African Cup will be negatively affected by the ongoing incidents, but don’t worry this won’t happen,” Egypt’s Ahram publication quoted the sacked former General of CAF, Amr Fahmy as saying.

Sports Village Square recalls that there had been wrangling within CAF leading to recent sack of Amr Fahmy and allegations of corrupt practices against the CAF President, Ahmad.

The CAF president was recently arrested by French anti-graft police but released without charges. It was speculated that the eventual public information by FIFA that Ahmad’s was been investigated by the football body’s ethics committee threw up some wild speculations.

 

According to Fahmy, Egypt’s hosting of the African Cup of Nations won’t be affected by the ongoing dispute between the CAF former general secretary and the president Ahmad.

Fahmy blamed Ahmad as being the main reason that hosts Egypt didn’t see an increase in revenues despite the expansion of the prestigious tournament.

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“I can’t explain the details of my complaint against Ahmad Ahmad due to current legal procedures,” Fahmy told MBC Masr TV channel late Saturday in Egypt.

“I was getting a big salary upon my work for CAF, but I don’t work for money, but for ethics and principles,” he added.

On 15 April, the African football ruling body sacked general secretary Fahmy after the Egyptian accused his boss of bribery and misusing hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to officials and an internal document.

The document, sent 31 March by Fahmy to a FIFA investigations committee and seen by Reuters, accused Ahmad of ordering his secretary-general to pay $20,000 (£15,256) in bribes into accounts of African football association presidents.

The document also accused Ahmad of costing CAF an extra $830,000 by ordering equipment via a French intermediary company called Tactical Steel.

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Furthermore, the complaint accused Ahmad of harassing four female CAF staff, whom it did not name; violating statutes to increase Moroccan representation within the organisation; and over-spending more than $400,000 of CAF money on cars in Egypt and Madagascar, where a satellite office has been set up for him.

“I opened an investigation during my work at CAF and the investigation is still ongoing at FIFA. I’m not worried at all,” explained Fahmy.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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AFCON

Hurray, Super Eagles back to winning ways!

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What a turn-around! After four previous competitive matches without a win, the Super Eagles have regained their winning mentality after a 3-0 defeat of Benin Republic in their opening 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.

The win also put the Super Eagles at the top of the Group D after both Libya and Rwanda played 1-1 draw last Thursday.

It is also the biggest win by the Super Eagles since their 2023 6-0 win over Sao Tome & Principe last year September.

Great man Ademola Lookman, he put in two goals straightening the possibility of his emerging as 2024 African Footballer of the Year.

 The current title holder, Victor Osimhen proved his mettle coming off  the bench in the second half to double Nigeria’s lead after Lookman’s late first half goal.

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 The Super Eagles will now honour their next fixture against Rwanda on Tuesday with the hope of consolidating their lead.

 Benin Republic with no points and a deficit of three goals are rooted at the bottom of the log.

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AFCON

‘Oh Come All Ye Faithful!’, Rev Ikpea calls on football fans to rally round Super Eagles

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BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU

The National Chairman of the Nigerian Football Supporters Club (NFSC), Rev. Samuel Ikpea has called on all Nigerians to rally round and pray for the Super Eagles ahead of Saturday’s Morocco 2025 AFCON qualifier against Benin Republic in Uyo.

 

Ikpea who is mobilizing support for the Super Eagles ahead of the clash in Uyo said that whatever Benin Republic come with both spiritually and physically in the game, we will surely overcome them.

 

“In the NFSC we have Christians, Muslims as well as those who believe in traditional worship and we respect the rights of freedom of worship of every member and all Nigerians.

 

“When we are faced with this kind of crucial game, we call on everyone to pray through their various believes because we foresee that Benin Republic are most likely coming to fall back on ‘black magic’ to enable them perfect a back-to-back victory over our Super Eagles after beating us 2-1 in our last meeting in a World Cup qualifier”

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“We cannot underestimate the efficacy of the black magic” Ikpea further stressed, “but we believe that when we come together we can neutralize it’s efficacy.

 

“This is no time to sleep, we all have to rally round and do our best to support our Super Eagles because they cannot do it alone without the prayers and support of all Nigerians.

 

“While charging Nigerians to be positive with the team, we at the NFSC have done everything positive to overturn whatever plans they are coming with and we enjoin everyone to toe that path through prayers”.

 

Meanwhile, the Super Eagles camp is bubbling with training in Uyo, as team Coach Austin Eguavoen, has been working hard to perfect tactics with the boys and ensure the Super Eagles soar on Saturday.

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AFCON

Will Super Eagles regain their winning mentality?

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The Super Eagles have not won a qualifying match for any competition since their 6-0 defeat of Principe & Sao Tome on 10th September 2023 in Uyo. That was their last qualifying match for Cote d’Ivoire 2023 played in 2024.

Since then, they have played four World Cup qualifying matches without a win despite being the overwhelming favourites at those matches. 

A forensic analysis of their World Cup qualifying since that of Qatar 2022 will reveal they had played seven consecutive matches without a win starting from their 1-1 home draw with Cape Verde in Lagos which qualified them for the  play off. In the play off with Ghana, the Super Eagles drew the two matches.

 In the 2026  World Cup qualifiers, they have gone four matches, getting three draws and a loss. The prospect of their getting a straight qualification from the group is doubtful as they have a mountain to climb by winning the remaining six matches, three of which are away duels of which are most likely to be played in South Africa, the home ground of their main rivals.

 Zimbabwe and Lesotho play their home matches in South Africa and Nigeria also still have an away duel with Bafana Bafana.

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 The qualification series of AFCON 2025 presents the Super Eagles a new beginning. Starting from the semi-finals of the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, the team has won none of their four competitive matches in regulation time.  The players have a date with destiny in Uyo this Saturday to wipe off the sagging image they have had in recent time.

 A win will give the team the confidence expected in anticipation for future fixtures.

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