THE PRESIDENT of the Confederation of African Football Issa Hayatou said the development of sports infrastructure on the continent remains a priority for his organisation. The CAF president made his comments during a visit to a CAF football academy on the outskirts of Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. The visit permitted Hayatou and other members of the executive committee to know the state of work on the site. The football academy, to cost some six billion CFA, is the first of three centres to be constructed in Africa for the development of the sport on the continent. The others are to be built in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Dakar in Senegal, all before the end of 2008. The construction of football academies across Africa has been a priority for the confederation for the past couple of months. During the visit, the director of the enterprise carrying out the project, Shorouck Consulting and Investment, said it was 90 per cent finished, with a central building, two football pitches, a swimming pool, health club and restaurant being the main structures of the football academy. Hayatou expressed gratitude to the government of Cameroon for providing the land on which the academy is being built and for dropping custom duties on materials imported for construction. The academy will include a track following a decision taken by football administrators in South Africa. The president of the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot) Iya Mohamed said the academy will not only help improve the quality of the game in Africa but boost Cameroon's image in sports. For Amos Adamu, president of the West African Football Union and executive committee member of CAF, the academy is an example of the work done by the president of CAF to advance the game. A tour of the academy took place during which technicians explained the various departments and the role they are expected to play. The ceremony was rich in colour and ambiance with the presence of dance groups and a cross section of the national and international press. At the same time, also in Yaounde, the CAF's executive committee held a lengthy debate on the new formula for the awarding of yearly prizes to meritorious sportsmen by CAF. The new decision stipulates that the ceremony should be held at the end of December of every year at the latest. The committee also approved a new article on television production. The article stipulates that from now on CAF will be involved in the choice of the TV company airing the final phase of the African Cup of Nations. A report on the futsal competition, which was held in Libya, was presented by the head of the delegation Molefi Oliphant. The committee expressed its satisfaction with the results. Libya, which won the trophy, and finalist Egypt will represent Africa at the world championship in Brazil later this year. Considering the interest in the sport across the continent and the development of infrastructure around Africa, it was decided that a tournament would be organised every two years. The CAF committee noted with satisfaction the state of advancement of work in Angola following a report presented by the head of the inspection team to the country by Mohamed Raouraoua. CAF had dispatched an inspection team in May to evaluate the state of sports infrastructure to host the CAN 2010. The next visit has been slated for July 2008 in Angola. The committee also expressed satisfaction with the engagement taken by the Ivorian government to organise the African Championship in February 2009. CAF exhorted the organising committee to work hard so as to finish the preparations in time. The competition will be organised in two towns, Abidjan and the economic capital Bouake. CAF Executive Committee member Adoum Djibrine headed the inspection. CAF also noted the report presented by the inspection mission to Rwanda headed by committee member Slim Aloulou. The committee also decided to cancel extra time in the Super Cup. If the two sides end the encounter on party, penalty kicks will be the decider. Ahli and Zamalek are to clash in the African Champions League, Manuel Jose remains with Ahli and the national team is to start its campaign for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. Inas Mazhar wraps up the latest football news
