NATIONAL TEAM - ZAMBIA - COACH - George Lwandamina ends spell as Zambia coach

Lwandamina had been doubling as coach for Zesco United.

15 Sep 2016
STARS IN EUROPE - FRANCE - CLUB - Capoue scored his third goal of the season

Etienne Capoue has scored three goals this season.

11 Sep 2016
STARS IN EUROPE - NIGERIA - CLUB - Kelechi Iheanacho scores as City win Manchester derby

Iheanacho scores as Manchester City beat Manchester United

10 Sep 2016
STARS IN EUROPE - NIGERIA - CLUB - Sunderland sign striker Victor Anichebe

Victor Anichebe made his Everton debut in 2006.

6 Sep 2016
AFRICA CUP 2017 - Group Stage - 6th matches - all results

South Africa end Mauritanian hopes.

5 Sep 2016
STARS IN EUROPE - IVORY COAST - CLUB - Yaya Toure left out of Champions League squad

Yaya Toure  has only played once this season.

3 Sep 2016
STARS IN EUROPE - GHANA - CLUB - Newcastle United sign Christian Atsu on loan

Newcastle United sign Chelsea midfielder Christian Atsu on loan.

2 Sep 2016
STARS IN EUROPE - CONGO DR - CLUB - Hull City SIGN Dieumerci Mbokani

Hull City have signed DR Congo striker Dieumerci Mbokani on loan.

2 Sep 2016
STARS IN EUROPE - ALGERIA - CLUB - Leicester City sign Islam Slimani

Leicester City sign Sporting Lisbon forward Islam Slimani.

2 Sep 2016
STARS IN EUROPE - IVORY COAST - CLUB - Stoke City sign Wilfried Bony on loan

Stoke City sign Man City striker Wilfried Bony on loan.

1 Sep 2016

2015 AFRICA CUP - CAF - EBOLA AND NATIONS CUP - SOUTH AFRICA RULE OUT BEING 2015 HOSTS

AFRICA CUP 2015

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) approached South Africa last week, after Morocco asked to postpone the event because of the Ebola crisis.

"I can tell you unambiguously and categorically that hosting is a no no," Mbalula told South African media.

"Our budget cycle will not allow it - it is totally impossible."

South Africa were among seven countries sounded out by CAF as possible replacements for Morocco, who have major concerns about hosting the 17 January to 8 February tournament.

Almost 4,500 people have died in the Ebola epidemic that broke out in west Africa at the start of the year and Morocco youth and sports minister Mohamed Ouzzine said on Thursday he does not think the tournament can happen as planned.

Moroccan officials will meet with CAF on 3 November to discuss the situation.

Whatever the outcome, South Africa have made their stance clear.

Mbalula said the country had a responsibility to help fight to help fight the Ebola epidemic, with the United Nations predicting a surge in deaths and cases.

"We do not have a ready-made abundance of resources to be shifted to the Nations Cup, " he added. 

"We would like to give this one a pass.

"We will share the responsibility to fight Ebola - we are not immune to that. 

We must be prepared to share our skills, our doctors, to reinforce the research to find a vaccine."

South Africa have twice been emergency hosts of the competition, replacing cash-strapped Kenya in 1996 and strife-torn Libya last year.

Ghana are another of the countries to have been approached by CAF, according to the sports minister of the west African country.

The identities of the other five countries have not been officially revealed.

...

Most of the Ebola deaths have been in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. 

CAF has barred Guinea and Sierra Leone from hosting Nations Cup qualifiers.
 
Liberia were eliminated in the preliminary rounds.

Guinea have staged home fixtures in Moroccan commercial capital Casablanca.

Sierra Leone, having failed to secure a neutral venue, had to play home games against the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon in Lubumbashi and Yaounde respectively.

20 Oct 2014
(BBC Sport UK)

Related countries

Related articles