A FIFA delegation is expected to arrive in Cape Town this afternoon, ahead of the soccer spectacle to be held in celebration of former President Nelson Mandela’s 89th birthday on Wednesday.
The delegation, led by Acting President Jack Warner, will grace the Newlands
stadium on Wednesday to witness a soccer match featuring some of the finest former
football legends from both the African continent and the rest of the world.
The players include multi-African footballer of the year winner, Samuel Etoo,
retired Bafana Bafana Captain, Lucas Radebe, former Zambian International Kalusha
Bwalya, Doctor Khumalo and Philemon Masinga, whose only goal gave Bafana a ticket
to participate in the 1998 World Cup for the first time.
As part of the festivities to mark the 89th birthday of Mr Mandela, FIFA President
Sepp Blatter will confer honorary membership status on the Makana Football
Association (FA).
The association was formed by a group of political prisoners held on Robben Island
during the apartheid era.
While in confinement on the island, political prisoners played organised football
matches as members of the Makana FA, adhering strictly to the FIFA statutes.
“They are a strong symbol of FIFA’s fight to eradicate racism and all forms of
discrimination from football and sport, and it is only fitting that their efforts
be recognised with this honorary membership,” said Mr Blatter in a statement.
The event will also underline the commitment of the former inmates of Robben
Island, who used the power of football as an instrument of resistance against the
apartheid regime.
“We are happy that the game and FIFA’s conferring of honorary membership status on
the Makana FA will be recognition of the contribution of the freedom fighters led
by Nelson Mandela on Robben Island.
“Those political prisoners defied the apartheid rules, but adhered strictly to
FIFA’s rules on the island,” said Tokyo Sexwale, a high commissioner of FIFA’s “Say
No to Racism” campaign.
Mr Sexwale is also a former Robben Island political prisoner himself.ÂÂ
The event on Robben Island precedes the star-studded “90 Minutes for Mandela” game
between the Africa XI and the Rest of the World XI at the Newlands Stadium with
kick-off time set at 8pm.
Tickets for the game are available at Computicket and are priced at R30 for general
admission, R50 for grandstand seats and R120 for suite tickets.
The proceeds of the match are earmarked for social programmes including Mr
Mandela’s “46664” global HIV and AIDS campaign.
During the game, players will feature Mr Mandela’s “46664” prison number on their
football jerseys to indicate their support for the awareness campaign to stop the
spread of HIV and AIDS.
“FIFA’s tribute to a great leader who symbolises humanity’s ability to triumph over
adversity, injustice and discrimination is very timely. In a divided world, sport
can play a critical role in overcoming divisions between people.
“During their incarceration on Robben Island, sport, and the beautiful game of
football in particular, kept the prisoners physically, mentally and spiritually fit
and able to continue their heroic struggle for equality and freedom,” said Achmat
Dangor, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
The delegation arriving this afternoon also includes South Africa’s 2010 Local
Organising Committee’s Chief Executive Officer, Danny Jordaan who is on a chartered
flight.
Mr Jordaan said the all-star game at Newlands was “a celebration of the life of one
of the great African icons”.
“As we move towards preparing for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, we celebrate Nelson
Mandela’s birthday in recognition of his personal contribution and sacrifices to
help South Africa and Africa host its first World Cup, and this event demonstrates
the values and importance of the game of football as a vehicle of hope.” –
BuaNews/ZANIS
Go ba Kalu Go. I will be at newlands to see One of Zambia’s greatest player play with the other greatest in the world.
You are Zambia’s pride. Your discipline on and off the pitch was instrumental to your success. No one can take away from your rich CV. Zambia appreciates your success and please continue to be a beacon for Zambia and Africa. We love you!
Tanzania’s new national stadium is set to open its doors in September, when it hosts a Nations Cup final-round qualifier between the Taifa Stars and Mozambique.
The construction of the 60,000 seater stadium started two years ago and has largely been funded by the Chinese government at an estimated cost of US $56 million.
“The stadium is completed and ready, we are waiting for the Tanzanian government to tell us when they want it handed over to them,” Zu Dao Chun, the project’s general manager told BBC Sport.
“This stadium was built using advanced engineering technology, it will need at least 30 years before any kind of maintenance has to be carried out on it,” Zu Dao Chun added.
‘Extendable roof’
The stadium’s outstanding features include a roof that extends inwards to cover seats up to the halfway line, 114 close-circuit television cameras, a lavish VIP lounge, 600 car parking spaces, a scoreboard and five main entrances.
The Minister of Information, Culture and Sports, Mohammed Seif Khatib, said the stadium, which he described as the country’s symbol of pride, would be managed by a private company.
“This stadium is perhaps the best in the region, we are proud of it. It will help stimulate sports development in this country, and it shows how serious the government is about promoting sport,” he said.
‘Real Madrid opener’
The stadium was initially scheduled to open in July and President Jakaya Kikwete had invited Spanish giants Real Madrid to play during the opening ceremony.
This arrangement was cancelled due to delays with construction.
As the only major stadium in the country it will be used to host major football matches as well track and field events.
This is what our friends in the neighbouring countries are doing with the same chinese people that are suppose to bulid us a modern stadium. This construction work started TWO YEARS AGO. It will be nice to see how long Dag stadium will take after laying the foundation stone early this year.
it’s very inetresting how Zambians change colors like cameleons. we fired great kalu after a first attempt at africa cup. we didn’t give him a 2nd chance as great as he is. Look at how the world respect him. We should be EMBARRASED. no wonder this article doesn’t sem to have a lot of comments. I would like to hear WILLIAM HARRINGTON,chipolopolo fans chairman’s comment on this because i believe he is the one that ochestrated a personal dislike on the great Kalu
#5 Kalu kicked himself in own knees. You cannot hold two position at the same time at least one will suffer and this was the case. Mind you, sport is all about winÃÂng if you cant deliver you liable of being fired. There is no temporar job as coaching even successful coaches are sometimes dismissed. So Kalus worldwide recognition will be meanless if Zambia doesnt prosper in sport. Look at the failures at league level in Zambia the sport at grass route is dead yet we have pipo like him in authority. I have not seen any concept from kalusha Bwalya suggesting how Zambia soccer can be improved. Kalusha sits on the FIFA committe for security and maintanence of stadiums but he is not spearheading the constrcution of a new stadium yet we have deaths like at Independence Stadium in 1996 or the recent one at Nkokola. As much as we appreciate his soccer career he should know their much to do if he wants to have legacy in sport.
Umwana ashenda ata shanyina ukunaya.Zambian’s we are too good at talking and we know everything.Look at the developments of the country,to date nothing news is coming up to show that we are developing. Just look at how Zimbabwe is doing at the All AFRICA GAME,like if the country has no political problems.We no political problems but we can not even do better than the countries that has just come from war. Our months are just to good in talking,hate,lies and jealous.Because of making more people every day poor,then few Zambians can fly our of Zambia to see what is development.It sad for the country.Look at pa unza kwati nipamaketi i fiko.
Go Great Kalu Go!! No wonder everywhere I have travelled around the world, Zambia is synonymous with Kenneth Kaunda and Kalusha Bwalya.You are indeed a great son of not only Zambia but Africa as a whole.Wish you all the best in your future endeavours.
I want to pick up on what Easy #6 started and all Great Kalu worshipers are going to kill me for this. The bottom line is Kalu is a spoiled selfish little brat who really doesn’t care about Zambian football but just want to use it as a launch pad for his next career move into FIFA/CAF/COSAFA administration. How can you hold such two important jobs at the same time coach/admin? GREED. This is a requirement he needs to acquire without giving anything to Zambia because he has not really contributed anything to the Zambian game as an administrator so far just warming the chair. Just using the system. Why can’t he just focus on coaching and then the administration will come later. He is only young. I don’t think he has enough experience with the game on the other side(coaching) and can’t claim to be well rounded.Mighty in div 1 can do with his help. Do what Abedi Pele is doing. This is a selfish guy hell bent on abusing his fame. Old “AMAFI” don’t smell. We need fresh ones to be moved.
:d