| Nigeria crowned African champions in Beach Soccer
The Nigeria Beach Soccer team, the Sand Eagles, were on Sunday crowned champions of Africa as it defeated Cote d'Ivoire 7-4 in a thrilling final match at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 Qualifier in Durban, South Africa. The two teams, however, qualify to represent the continent at the Beach Soccer World Cup in Dubai, United Emirates from November 16-22. The victory over Cote d'Ivoire makes Nigeria African champions for the second time after the country won her first title in 2007. After emerging victorious from two group matches against Mauritius [0-13] and Egypt [6-5], Nigeria went on to beat Senegal 7-6 in the semi-final before completing its winning streak over the Sand Elephants. Nigeria's Isiaka Olawale was named as the Player and the Top Goal scorer of the tournament with 12 goals, while Ivorian Goalkeeper, Kevin Enam was voted the best Keeper in the tournament.
Soccer City workers are building more, like aa new South Africa
Now, she has already made it up to assistant surveyor at the Soccer City Stadium, living proof of how construction for the World Cup is building more than mere sports arenas. Such projects are offering jobs and a sign of how far the nation has progressed since the dark days of apartheid. The 94,000-seat Soccer City Stadium, which will host the World Cup final, has risen like a huge cooking pot from the red dust, framed by slag heaps from gold mining on one side and Johannesburg skyscrapers on the other. In all, six new stadiums are being built for next year's World Cup, but none is bigger than the one where Khofane works. And amid the hustle of some 3,500 workers trying to get it ready, she finds herself ever more at home surrounded by workers of many colors. "Now, there is no difference between black and white," Khofane said.
Uganda targeting gays in soccer
The war on homosexuality in Africa is heating up, and the nation of Uganda is taking it to the soccer pitch. The Ugandan FA is forcing every soccer coach in the country to sign a document that "denounces any support or involvement in sodomy related acts." This follows an episode in which a player accused a football club manager of sexually assaulting him at a championship tournament in the country. Sodomy is illegal in Uganda. "We are going to address [sodomy] in the code of conduct," said Stone Kyambadde, the vice-chairman of the Ugandan Coaches Association. "The code will denounce any support or involvement in sodomy-related acts." The accused coach, Charles Ayiekoh, has been suspended by Fufa, the Ugandan governing football association. "We intend to get rid of the entire group and I can assure you that as coaches we come up with a comprehensive plan to wipe out the deadly vice," one Fufa executive said.
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