NAIROBI, Kenya, May 18 – Kenya Sevens skipper Jacob Ojee proruced a man of the match performance, contributing 18 points as KCB hit Kabras Sugar 23-15 to successfully defend their Kenya Cup title at the Kakamega Showground on Saturday evening.

Ojee crossed over once, drilled home three penalties and converted Ahmed Shabaan’s try as the bankers hit Kabras to the title for the third time in a row and cement their place as the best 15s team in Kenya currently.

Having never lost to Kabras in the 10 meetings they have faced each other in, KCB showed they were not ready yet to soil that statistic. The bankers got into business early, Ojee crossing over the chalk and converting his own try.

The bankers had shown resilience to go ahead just minutes after Oliver Kilonzo had been sent to the sin bin.

Kabras gave in a fight and came close to reducing the gap when Philip Wokarach tried his luck with a penalty from distance but sailed wide. However, they were rewarded at the stroke of full time with Dan Sikuta sinking a try but Wokarach missed the extras.

The two sides went to the break with the bankers tails up at 7-5.

But, the home side, pushed on by a passionate home crowd came in rejuvenated after the break. Charlton Mokua crossed over with Wokarach converting after Brian Moseti had knocked on to give Kabras possession.

With a 12-7 lead, Kabras were in control and they ensured that control remained tight under their arms when Wokarach drilled home a penalty to take the scores 15-7 in favor of the home side.

Sensing that the game was dragging away from them, KCB upped their tempo and twin penalties from Ojee took them to within two points of their hosts, squeezing the score at 13-15.

KCB won a penalty and elected to go for the line out and this proved a decisive gamble as they retook the lead from here. Ahmed Shabaan who had come off the bench stepped inside and out to find space and roll over under the posts.

Ojee added in the twos for a 20-15 lead before he sliced the posts with a penalty four minutes to full time to put the game beyond Kabras.

The home side will count their losses from another failed bid, this being the sixth time they are playing in the final and the fifth they have lost.

The post Ojee stars as KCB defend Kenya Cup title appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 18 – Cash-strapped Mount Kenya United have been relegated from the Kenyan premier League after suffering a 3-1 loss at the hands of Sony Sugar at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on Saturday.

Derrick Otanga scored a brace for the sugar belt side with Stephen Omollo adding the third. Mount Kenya’s consolation was scored by Brian Nyakan with 10 minutes left on the clock.

The result means that with three matches to go, Mount Kenya cannot move higher than 17^th. They are 11 points away from safety at 15^th place and 10 away from the play-off slot at 16^th.

It was earlier feared that Mount Kenya who awarded a walk over to Mathare United last weekend would not honor their match as they continued their protest over lack of payment, but they somehow managed to gather themselves together and go for the tie.

In the other matches played on Saturday, Chris Onyango struck twice as KCB beat Kariobangi Sharks 3-2 at the Kasarani Stadium. Ezekiel Odera opened the scores with a ninth minute penalty before Abuya also equalized for Sharks with another penalty.

However, Onyango scored in quick succession in the 61^st and 66^th minutes to hand KCB the advantage, before Shaphan Oyugi clawed one back for Sharks later on.

In Bungoma, Sofapaka came from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Nzoia Sugar. Umaru Kasumba’s goal in the 77^th minute, his 18^th for the season handed Sofapaka a vital point.

In the late kick off in Machakos, Posta Rangers and Kakamega Homeboyz drew 0-0.

The post Mount Kenya United relegated from KPL appeared first on Capital Sports.

BARCELONA, Spain, May 17 – Hardly does a season end without Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards – the biggest clubs in Kenyan football- stretching out the begging bowls, seeking for funds to cater for player salaries, bonuses, allowances, worse of all air tickets to honour continental assignments.     

Key stakeholders; club executives of both clubs, their patrons who are influential personalities in the government, the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) seem to be getting used to it instead of thinking outside the box on how to make football a business.

Achieving it is not rocket science as witnessed by this writer in a recent tour to the iconic Camp Nou Stadium – home to European titans Barcelona and the neighboring RCD Esdadio de Espanyol – home to another top tier side, Espanyol.

As he was keenly observing the Camp Nou tour experience on Match Day eve, (Saturday, May 11) before attending the La Liga match between hosts Barcelona and Getafe, lessons Gor and AFC Leopards can draw in raking in cash were at every turn of the majestic sporting cathedral.

Located 13.4 km from Barcelona airport and 6.6 km from Barcelona city, Camp Nou is a daily tourist site and what does this mean… it means money. Every individual touring the Stadium and museum will have to part with €35 (Ksh 4,000).

On a low turn-out day the club receives at least 300 people both local and international touring the facility, translating to €10,500 (Ksh1.84 million) a day. The tour experience opens every day including the match day, only to close three hours before the match.

All this is geared towards funding the €900 million (Ksh101 billion) budget for Barcelona’s season to add on what they get from sponsors and TV rights.

As we approach the entrance, we are welcomed by a gigantic main stand external view of the stadium labelled Rakuten Arena (as its fondly referred to as) which is a 99,354 capacity to make it the largest stadium in Europe and third in the world after North Korea’s Rungrado 1st of May Stadium (capacity 114,000) and Australia’s Melbourne Cricket Ground (capacity 100,024).

First stop is the museum; here we are handed a photo voucher that guarantees you three pictures at designated stops within the tour and if you think it’s free then you are shocked as we were… at the end of the tour you find your photos printed and sold to you at a price of €20 (Ksh 2,200) each, totalling €60 (Ksh6, 700).

Though it’s not a must you purchase, you will have no option but to do so because of how beautiful they look and the lasting memory that one will like to keep.

The museum is decorated all over Barcelona team photos of the five UEFA champions League trophies they have won, and at the centre, the eyes are attracted by the archive of Barca’s individual and team achievements from the first kit, ball and boots they played in to the current crop of players led by superstar Lionel Messi

Also recognised are their celebrated legends including an autographed Diego Maradona jersey, Lionel Messi’s first scoring boots when he was in the club’s academy as well as Juliano Belletti’s football boots that he scored the winner with in their 2-1 win over Arsenal in the 2006 Champions League final.

Also proudly displayed are keeper Victor Valdes’ gloves that he wore as Barcelona thrashed Valladolid 4-0 to clinch the 2010 La Liga title at Camp Nou.

For the players’ individual accolades, the outstanding is Messi’s five Ballon d’Or trophies paraded and Luiz Suarez’s European Top Scorer golden shoe he bagged in 2015-16 where he netted 40 goals.

Also glittering in their separate trophy cabinet are the 5 UEFA Champions League trophies they have bagged while on a separate cupboard are all the trophies that the club has won; 26 La Liga titles, 30 Copa del Reys, 13 Supercopa de España, 3 Copa Eva Duarte, 2 Copa de la Liga, 4 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, 5 UEFA Super Cup, 3 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and 3 FIFA Club World Cup.

At the end of the tour exit is a pass way through the club’s mega store positioned strategically that has all the merchandise including club replica jerseys. This is another avenue that the club makes revenue from.

-Ticket sale-

After 50 percent revenue coming from TV rights, the club makes a lot of money from merchandise and ticket sales. From the airport to the city streets, all sorts of Barcelona merchandise and souvenirs are sold.

Not only during match day but every day you will find vendors inside and outside the stadium selling caps €15 (Ksh 1600), jerseys €50 (Ksh 5,600), scarfs, flags €15 (Ksh 1,600), key holders and many more.

“This is a very good business, today 100,000 people have passed by my shop, most bought items are scarf and caps. I am based here every day,’’ Tony one of the vendors revealed to Capital Sport.

About the tickets, unlike in other countries like in England for the English Premier League where no tickets are sold on match day, in Barcelona, tickets are sold till two hours to kick-off.

The ticket price is friendly compared to other European leagues like in the English Premier League, but varies from the type of opponent and seat.

For instance the match we attended pitting Barcelona who had already clinched the league title and Getafe, the cheapest ticket was selling at €13 (Ksh 1,400) while to the expensive retailed at €290 (Ksh32, 7000).

“It’s lovely to see the Nou Camp and the home of football in Barcelona, I have brought my family here to enjoy the experience. Tickets here are cheater than in England,” John Anderson, a tourist from London told Capital Sport.

-Espanyol Stadium-

The same is replicated at RCD Espanyol Stadium (40,000 capacity) that is 5 km away from Camp Nou despite the club having a budget of €100 million (Ksh 11 billion).

With not so many world stars and legends being part of their squad, their idol is Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino who played for Espanyol from 1994-2001 to make him the most capped foreign player in theteam with 216 appearances alongside Cameroonian legend Thomas N’Kono.

“Espanyol is a special club because we are the underdogs in Barcelona since we are not as rich as Barca but we are one of the biggest clubs in Spain. We have budget of €100 million per season, 50 percent comes from TV rights while the rest are from business that we do; tickets, merchandise sale,” Abit Tollo, Espanyol Tour guide told Capital Sport in Spain.

“The cheapest ticket at Espanyol is €30 (Ksh3, 400) while the most expensive is €200 (Ksh 22,500). This has been made possible by the marketing department that achieve it from the great help of tourists that come to Barcelona. At the museum we have a display of all the trophies we have won and the pictures of club legends like Pochettino,” he added.

-How Gor, AFC can emulate-

Contrary, back home, Gor and AFC Leopards depend hugely on sponsors and in this case only one in the name of betting firm SportPesa who injected Ksh198,607,000 (€1.7 million) to Gor and Ksh 156,406,403 (€1.3) to AFC for three years, running from 2018-2021.

This amount is a drop in the ocean, considering the season budgets for the two clubs, with Gor’s scaling higher because of playing in the CAF assignment. Both clubs have a budget of Ksh5 million (€44.3 million) a month.

But if the two clubs can borrow a leaf from Barcelona and Espanyol, some of these things can be achieved since they have huge following to support it.

With both clubs having offices, the museum idea is a sleeping cash cow that the two can maximize on, especially for Gor who are the most successful club in Kenya.

It’s a shame that the CAF Cup Winners’ Cup they won in 1987, their top achievement has never been seen by loyal green army fans.

The club brags of producing the best players in the likes of legendary Kenya striker William Ouma ‘Chege’ who was the top scorer with 19 goals when they won their inaugural League title in 1968, play maker Allan Thigo, Maurice Ochieng, Peter Dawo, Austin Oduor, Sammy Onyango ‘jogoo’ among others.

They have also won a lot of trophies 17 KPL titles, 3 CECAFA Club titles, 10 FKF Shield, 3 Super Cup and 2 KPL Top 8 titles.

All this can be displayed in a museum where their loyal fans who throng in thousands to the Tom Mboya stature before and after the match would be interested to get a glimpse of their club history on a fee.

To make this possible, the club should have a vibrant marketing department that thinks of making money outside the ticket sale and merchandise and if possible revive the Gor Bread that used rake in Sh130,000 (€1,1500) and invent more products that would generate revenue to the club.

The same applies to their rivals AFC Leopards, who boast of producing Elijah Lidonde, the legendary Joe Kadenge, Joe Masiga and Noah Wanyama, the father of Harambee Stars captain and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Victor Wanyama among others.

AFC Leopards have a great story to tell as well by the virtue of being the second most successful club in Kenya with 13 KPL titles, 10 FKF Shield crowns and 5 CECAFA Club titles.

-Alex Isaboke is reporting from Barcelona, Spain-

The post Money-minting lessons from Camp Nou for Gor, AFC appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 19 – Nicholas Kipkurui scored a goal in either half and created the third as Gor Mahia continued their dominance over arch rivals AFC Leopards beating them 3-1 in the Mashemeji Derby at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani on Sunday.

AFC whose last victory over the 17-time Kenyan Premier League champions was way back in March 2016 could not find a way past the league leaders who now only need to win against Vihiga United on Wednesday to clinch an 18^th league crown.

Kipkurui scored in the 23^rd and 60^th minute before his brilliance opened up a door for Jacquies Tuyisenge to score the third five minutes later while AFC’s consolation was scored by Vincent Oburu with six minutes to go.

The game had a temporary stoppage just after Gor scored the third with a section of AFC supporters breaking seats and throwing them into the pitch, but calm was restored just four minutes later.

Gor broke the deadlock after 23 minutes thanks to a howler from keeper Ezekiel Owade who all evening had looked shaky on his line.

The keeper went low to pick out a shot from range by Samuel Onyango but instead of collecting calmly under his waiting arms spilled it a yard infront of him and Kipkurui was quicker than all defenders and the keeper to react to the ball and he tapped it home.

Before that, the home side, AFC Leopards had done well to create scoring opportunities though none of them troubled the keeper much.

In the third minute, a beautiful pass from David ‘Cheche’ Ochieng who donned the arm band for Ingwe found a running Whyvonne Isuza, but the forward was tackled down well at the edge of the box by skipper Harun Shakava who had raced back to cover.

A minute on the turn, AFC were almost punished when Salim Abdallah fumbled with the ball as he tried to shield it from Kipkurui. The forward set himself up with the first touch and tried to curl the ball beyond the keeper but the effort was wide.

AFC had a great chance in the eight minute when Paul Were’s long cross found Brian Marita on the other wing, who in turn set the ball up at the edge of the box but a lack of communication between Isuza and Vincent Oburu saw the latter pick the ball and take an awry aim at goal.

Fredrick Odhiambo in the Gor goal was troubled for the first time when A cheeky freekick from Were curled goalwards and the keeper had to adjust quick to parry it away for a corner. Were looked as though he was going for a cross but aimed on target.

But a minute later, AFC were punished.

They had been a man down with Cheche out being attended to by the medics having appeared to be struggling with a knock on his knee.

Five minutes after conceding, AFC survived when Jack Tuyisenge ran on the blindside of Salim Abdallah to win the ball ahead of him, but instead of cutting back the ball the striker went for goal himself from a tight angle and the shot was blocked for a corner.

Were who had been well manned by Philemon Otieno on the right side of Gor’s defense switched to the left side where his main aim was to run at the defense and cut back to his favorite left foot.

He achieved that three minutes to the break when he danced away from Geoffrey Ochieng and moved to the middle, but his shot was straight at Odhiambo in the Gor goal.

A miss pass from Ochieng almost cost AFC as the ball landed on Kipkurui who sent Tuyisenge through, but Ochieng rushed back and made a timely tackle to deny the Rwandese a shot at goal.

The post Kipkurui on a brace as K’Ogalo skin Leopards appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 19 – National women volleyball team Malkia Strikers started their Africa Zone Five Championship on a flier, thrashing Rwanda by straight sets in their opening match at the Lugogo Indoor Arena in Kampala, Uganda on Sunday evening.

The Kenyan girls dominated the game from the first set winning it in 25-10. Rwanda tried to offer some resistance in the second set but Japheth Munala’s girls were in no mood to relent and they picked a 25-17 victory before finishing off in the third set at 25-10.

Munala says he was impressed with the performance of the girls and especially lauded the impact new tactician Shaileen Ramdoo, seconded to Kenya by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).

“We have started very well and we had a good game. We played the back court very well and our blocks and attack were very well coordinated and that made us win easily. I am also thankful for the new coach who has come in because he has helped us eliminate some small mistakes and I am hoping we will win this championship,” Munala said after the match.

-Pleased with win

Randoo who joined the team last Monday said he was happy with how the girls had responded in their first competitive match.

“We were focused on our game especially because the first game is always difficult, We controlled the game very well and kept the pressure on them. Our blocking worked very well but we have a lot of work to do in the other games,” stated Ramdoo.

Kenya will face Ethiopia in the second match on Monday at 6pm.

The games are used as a qualification for the All Africa Games set to be held in Morocco in September this year where Kenya looks to qualify and move on to defend the title they won four years ago.

The post Malkia thrash Rwanda in AAG qualifier appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 19 – “It didn’t feel like a derby… just the crowd, very many people but that’s just it.”

Those are the words of Gor Mahia head coach Hassan Oktay on Sunday evening after his side picked their eighth win over arch-rivals AFC Leopards in the Mashemeji Derby with a comfortable 3-1 thrashing at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani.

The tactician went on to say that he expected a tough duel from AFC, but didn’t feel any, and his side should have won by as much as seven goals.

“We had control of the game in the first half and second half. We missed so many chances. I told some of them that we will win this game 4-1 or 5-1. The last 10 minutes we missed three clear chances. We should have won even 7-1,” the coach boasted speaking to Capital Sport after the game.

“We dominated the game, played attractive football and won. I always respect every single team and discipline is first in my book; but they didn’t give us competition. I was expecting that today, they would give us a hard game, but they didn’t,”

“That’s why this week I didn’t speak to any media about the game because I was concentrating on my job with the team…. but they didn’t give us competition,” the tactician stated.

A brace from Nicholas Kipkurui and another from Jacques Tuyisenge saw Gor pick the comfortable victory. But, all the three goals came off errors from AFC.

The first goal was a gift from the keeper, spilling a tame shot from Samuel Onyango to allow Kipkurui to tap home. The second was off an error from Said Tsuma who was easily dispossessed by Kenneth Muguna who played Kipkurui through.

The third was off another mistake, this time from Salim Abdallah who stopped chasing the ball thinking it had gone out and allowed Kipkurui the prestige of jogging into the box and when his chipped effort was sent to the bar by the keeper, Tuyisenge nodded home.

The victory puts Gor Mahia on the verge of their 18^th league title and if they beat Vihiga United on Wednesday in Machakos, they will be declared champions, the KPL trophy threaded with green and white for the third consecutive time and the sixth time in seven season.

But, even with victory in sight, Oktay remains humble and wants his charges to give their all in the remaining three games of the campaign.

“I am not concerned. I didn’t even check the table because we still have three games to go and the league is not yet won. We have to give our best until the last game because I respect all the teams,” the tactician further added.

The post AFC didn’t give us competition- Gor’s Oktay appeared first on Capital Sports.

GENEVA, Switzerland, May 19 – First lady Margaret Kenyatta was on Sunday presented with the 2019 Health Leaders award by World Health organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom in recognition of her outstanding advocacy on global health matters.

Kenyatta who is the patron of the First Lady’s Marathon and was also Kenya’s patron of the IAAF World Under-18 Championship held in Nairobi in 2017 was part of WHO’s ‘Walk the Talk: The Health for All Challenge’ event at the Place des Nations in Geneva.

“Physical activity is the bedrock of healthy living that prevents many illnesses. Linking this to good nutrition and reinforcing healthy habits, including physical exercise, is something we as leaders need to encourage in our communities,” Kenyatta said.

The event was organized in association with the IAAF and also present was Sports Cabinet Secretary Ambassador Amina Mohammed.

“Today is not just about sport; it’s about promoting health for all. We have all come together with one goal: to demonstrate that we cannot take health for granted,” said Adhanom.

Four-time New York City Marathon champion Mary Keitany was also in attendance alongside European half marathon champion Tadesse Abraham and IAAF CEO Jon Ridgeon.

Four-time NYC Marathon champ @KeitanyMary, European half marathon champ @run_tade and IAAF CEO @JRidgeon took part in @WHO‘s Walk the Talk: The Health for All Challenge in Geneva today.pic.twitter.com/hGVb8dkCFL

— IAAF (@iaaforg) May 19, 2019

Other special guests in attendance included Formula One racing driver Romain Grosjean and mental health advocate Cynthia Germanotta, Lady Gaga’s mother.

Celebrating its second edition, the Walk the Talk: The Health for All Challenge celebrated the importance of health and physical activity, a core value of the IAAF and one which it actively promotes and encourages around the world through initiatives and activities such as Run 24-1 delivered by its athletes and its 214 Member Federations.

On a day that featured music, dance, drums and yoga, Ridgeon joined Keitany and Abraham in one of the mass-participation runs, promoting the IAAF’s Clean Air campaign and the Run 24-1 global campaign to get people moving.

“It’s been a brilliant day to be reminded of the global power of running,” said Ridgeon. “Let’s work in partnership with organisations like the WHO to get the world moving.”

The post First Lady Kenyatta handed award by WHO appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 20 – Gor Mahia once again proved dominance over their arch rivals AFC Leopards, thrashing the blue and white side of the divide 3-1 at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani on Sunday.

This was Gor’s eighth victory over AFC Leopards in their last nine meetings and these are some of the take-aways that Capital Sports picked from the derby attended by close to 12,000 fans.

-Derbies can be useful for a good cause

Much to the amazement of the sizeable crowd that had attended the derby, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards players walked into the pitch before kick-off, each holding a huge placard of children who have been reported missing and held them high as they lined up before the match.

The procession was organized by Missing Child Kenya, a community led portal that works with organizations and individuals in the child protection sector, and the public to help share information on missing children using various media platforms and increase search efforts at no cost.

The goal of Missing Child Kenya is to boost search efforts for missing children by sharing photo posters and alerts to as broad an audience and in the fastest of time as possible.

The campaign was dubbed #WapiWatotoWetu and with a huge Television crowd adding to the over 12,000 at the venue, the message sure was driven home.

“Across the world, footballers are accompanied to the pitch by child mascots and as a way of honoring the role played by these children, AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia players walked to the pitch holding photographs of missing children. The aim was to raise awareness about the alarming rate of missing children in Kenya,” Missing Child Kenya explained.

-Derby is no derby without ‘research fights’

Derbies are interesting and funny at the same time. From players not using the same exit off the pitch to the dressing room before kick off to fights between stewards over ‘research’ and the other divide crossing lines, everything pre-match and during the game was interesting.

Stewards from both clubs engaged in fist fights all through before kick-off, one boiling over to the extent that the police had to come in between to separate the very two groups that were supposed to ensure safety in the venue.

The reason? One had crossed the locker room entrance before players had passed. This is taboo!

At half time, there was another round of fights, this time the AFC group throwing themselves at the Gor side accusing them of hitting their head coach Cassa Mbungo as he went in at half time. Again, The boys in blue had to step in.

-Philemon Otieno shows how to shush Were

If there was anyone that would lift AFC spirits and give them hope of victory over K’Ogalo, then it was big game player Paul Were.

The winger has scored and assisted in each of his last four games for AFC, save for the away trip to Sony and the midweek loss to KCB which he didn’t play. If you ever needed someone to carry your team on his shoulders, then the sensational winger was the man.

But, Were found his match in Gor’s Philemon Otieno, nicknamed Mbish.

Not your new-age kind of right back that would maraud the right wing with runs and float in crosses, come back and defend then repeat, but the Harambee Stars man got the job done.

He was breathing on Were’s sleeve whether on or off the ball. Infact, his only shots on target came when he vacated the right side of Gor’s defense and skipped to the left, where he could at least manage to run rings around Geoffrey Ochieng.

-Cheche should be back at central defense

AFC conceded all their three goals from cheap defensive mistakes, but once head coach Cassa Mbungo made the goal to change his tactical board and drag skipper of the day David Ochieng back to defense, the boat settled in the windy sea.

Ochieng threw himself at anything and everything, despite picking up a knee injury early in the first half. His leadership and composure at the back was a welcome relief for AFC.

Should he have been played at this position from the time he joined the team? Well perhaps yes because that is his strongest position and he showed exactly that in the final 25 minutes he manned the backline.

-No Oliech, no problem. We got Kip!

Coming at a time when Gor Mahia are worried over who plays an assistant’s role to their lead striker Jacques Tuyisenge, Nicholas Kipkurui rose up and showed them not to look any further, especially with the injury to Dennis Oliech.

The former Zoo Kericho man stood up to the plate, striking a predator’s brace and played a role in Tuyisenge’s third, his chipped effort pushed to the bar and Tuyisenge headed it home from close range.

Kipkurui, signed from Zoo Kericho at the beginning of the season has proved to be a worthy bargain and for his efforts is Gor’s top scorer this season with nine goals.

The post Five things we learned from Mashemeji Derby appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 20 – The Coca-Cola System in Kenya has embarked on an environmental behavior change campaign involving COPA Coca-Cola 2019 participating secondary school students, educating them on the importance of a cleaner environment by taking care of plastics disposal.

One school, in every region pitches are set to be revamped. The winner will be determined by the school that achieves the highest number of kilos over the tournament period which runs from May to July 2019.

The programme is part of the company’s initiative to address the plastic waste pollution.

Kenya, amongst fourteen other Southern, East and Central Africa countries, have been earmarked to kick start the project, set up to stimulate plastic recycling industries and create awareness of plastic waste pollution.

Speaking during the launch, Evanson Ndungu, Coca-Cola Marketing Manager, Kenya said; “Sports is an integral part of the wellbeing of the youth. It improves their physical and emotional aspects while also enabling their holistic development. By introducing a behavior change campaign, it will go a long way to ensure they grow to be responsible members of the community.”

-Football unites

He added, “Football unites all regardless of age and gender. This year will be special as soccer will contribute to a greater cause which is protecting our environment by educating young people on conservation.”

A total of 5,400 schools will be participating in this years’ tournament representing an 8% increase from last year’s games.

The national initiative will involve 2,000 out of the 5,400 participating schools in COPA Coca-Cola tournament ensuring that the teens are educated on the importance of recycling for a litter-free environment. The schools were selected based on the reach of the current recyclers and collectors.

The communities surrounding the schools will also be involved in order to ensure all Kenyans participate in taking good care of the environment.

The Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) will still continue to manage the games, as the company last year renewed the Sh21.5mn sponsorship which covers 2018 to 2020.

The funds will go towards full kitting of schools in the Sub-zonal, Zonal, Sub-County, County, Regional and National championships, purchase of trophies and medals for all games, as well as run the seamless administration of the tournament.

The Under-16 boys and girls will compete in this year’s tournament for the chance to be crowned the Kenyan champions and a direct ticket for the COPA Coca-Cola Africa Cup.

The exploits of the St. Antony’s High School soccer team during the 2018 championship led Lucas Maina, Wisdom Nava, Jacob Onyango, David Leon, Salim Badi and Issa Emuria being named in the Kenya U-20 provisional Squad that were to participate in the CECAFA Under-20 Championship in Uganda that was later called off.

The post Coca-Cola to reward schools with new pitches appeared first on Capital Sports.

LOS ANGELES, United States, May 21 – Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said forging a sense of “togetherness” would be crucial as he attempts to halt six years of failure at the franchise.

Vogel, who was chosen to replace the fired Luke Walton, arrives at the Lakers with the club reeling from the shock departure of executive Magic Johnson last month.

Johnson on Monday blamed a culture of “backstabbing” for his departure in comments made just before Vogel’s unveiling.

Vogel, 45, said he planned to unify the franchise, from the front office through to the coaching and playing staff.

“We need to build togetherness with our organization,” the former Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic coach said.

“I don’t just mean with the 17 guys that are going to be in uniform. I’m talking about organizational togetherness.

“Starting with ownership to the front office to the coaching staff, to the players to the trainers, the business side.

“We are all going to be pulling in the same direction… You can accomplish amazing things if everybody is together.

“Playing a together brand of basketball with also be emphasized on a daily basis. We’re going to be unselfish. We’re going to play by trusting the pass, creating for others with the basketball.

“Defensively, communicating, talking to each other and covering for each other, working together. It starts organizationally wide, translates onto the basketball court, and I’ve seen it. When it happens, you win big.

“And that’s going to be a big part of what we’re trying to accomplish here.”

Vogel meanwhile steered clear of offering any predictions for the Lakers.

The team has missed the playoffs for six straight seasons but are desperate to challenge for top honours once more after signing LeBron James last year.

“The focus for our group has got to be to remain in the moment,” Vogel said. “There’s obviously been a lot of outside noise that we’re going to be tasked with blocking out.

“There’s going to be a lot of talk about getting our team back into the playoffs, and what the Lakers represent in terms of a tradition of competing for championships.

“Those are end result things. We are going to be focused on the work… Focus on the task at hand, and then those accolades, those achievements, those results, they will come.”

The post New Lakers coach Vogel calls for ‘togetherness’ appeared first on Capital Sports.

VIENNA, Austria, May 21 – Legendary Formula One driver Niki Lauda has died at the age of 70, his family said in a statement released to Austrian media early Tuesday.

“With deep sadness, we announce that our beloved Niki has peacefully passed away with his family on Monday,” the statement read.

Lauda’s death comes eight months after he underwent a lung transplant.

“His unique achievements as an athlete and entrepreneur are and will remain unforgettable, his tireless zest for action, his straightforwardness and his courage remain,” added the statement.

“A role model and a benchmark for all of us, he was a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather away from the public, and he will be missed.”

Lauda won the Formula One drivers’ world championship three times, in 1975 and 1977 for Ferrari and in 1984 with McLaren.

“All at McLaren are deeply saddened to learn that our friend, colleague and 1984 Formula 1 World Champion, Niki Lauda, has passed away. Niki will forever be in our hearts and enshrined in our history. #RIPNiki,” his former team tweeted on their verified account.

Lauda had been non-executive chairman at Mercedes F1 since 2012 and he was instrumental in bringing in Lewis Hamilton to spark a run of success that has brought five consecutive world drivers’ and constructors’ championships.

During his driving career, Lauda suffered horrific injuries on August 1, 1976 when, having already won five races that season, his vehicle burst into flames on the Nuerburgring in Germany.

He suffered severe burns on his face and hands, and inhaled toxic fumes which damaged his lungs.

Despite being given the last rites in hospital he made an almost miraculous recovery to race again just six weeks later still bandaged and in intense pain.

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LOS ANGELES, United States, May 21 – Stephen Curry and Draymond Green both posted triple-doubles to power the Golden State Warriors to a 119-117 overtime victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday and into a fifth straight NBA Finals.

The two-time defending NBA champions swept the Blazers in four games in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals.

The only other team to reach five straight NBA Finals was the Boston Celtics, when they went to a record 10 in a row from 1957 to 1966.

“I hope it doesn’t go unnoticed or underrated — five straight finals hasn’t been done since the 60s,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. “It hasn’t been done for a reason, it’s really, really difficult and so I just can’t say enough about the competitive desire of the group of guys that we have here.”

The Warriors will battle for the title starting on May 30 against either the Milwaukee Bucks or Toronto Raptors, aiming to become the first team since the Los Angeles Lakers of 2000, 2001 and 2002 to three-peat as champions.

Curry and Green became the first teammates in league history to have triple-doubles in the same post-season game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Curry finished with 37 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, while Green had his second straight triple-double — posting double digits in three key statistical categories — with 18 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists.

Fittingly, Curry and Green combined on the game-winning basket in overtime, Curry feeding Green for a three-pointer that pushed Golden State to a 119-115 lead with 39.6 seconds left in overtime.

“Obviously in that situation we want Steph to have the ball, we want Steph or Klay (Thompson) to take the shot,” Green said.

“But they were swarming them. So I was just talking to them ‘Watch out, watch out.’

“When he passed me the ball, I just let it go. When I shot it, it felt good.”

The Trail Blazers had led 69-65 at halftime, and built the lead to 17 in the third quarter — the third straight game in which Portland led by as many as 17 only to come up short.

With veteran Andre Iguodala having joined superstar Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins on the injured list, the Warriors produced a total team effort to rally again.

Thompson scored 17 points while reserve Kevon Looney added 12 points and 14 rebounds and Alfonzo McKinnie chipped in 12 points.

“Being without Kevin these last five games has put us in a really tough spot and our guys stepped up in a big way,” Kerr said. “The group has a fiber to them — when (these) guys go down they find a way to come together and compete and win.”

– Warriors ‘find a way’ –

The Warriors scored the last nine points of the third period to close within 95-87 and knotted the score at 104-104 on Curry’s layup with 4:34 left in regulation.

“We know we can cover 17 points in a matter of three or four minutes,” Green said. “So we always try to keep that mindset — that we’re never out of the game.”

Both teams had a chance to win in regulation, but Curry traveled before draining a three-pointer that didn’t count and Lillard was unable to get through in traffic as time expired with the score tied 111-111.

Portland star Lillard, playing with painful separated ribs, finished with 28 points while unheralded Meyers Leonard led the Trail Blazers with a career-high 30 points and 12 rebounds.

CJ McCollum added 26 for the Trail Blazers, but it wasn’t enough for a team that had fended off elimination twice in their second-round series against the Denver Nuggets.

“We couldn’t get over the hump,” Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “I think it was a demonstration of how good they are and how good they have been over the years — they find a way to win.”

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SYDNEY, Australia, May 21 – Wallabies great George Smith announced his retirement Tuesday after a stint with Bristol in the England Premiership, calling time on nearly 20 years playing rugby.

The veteran Australian flanker, who made his Super Rugby debut for the ACT Brumbies in 2000 and went on to win 111 Test caps, said it had been an “absolute privilege”.

“Finally the day has come where I officially announce my retirement from professional rugby,” the 38-year-old said in statement on the Rugby Australia website.

“Rugby has provided and given me so much. The dreams that I had of playing rugby professionally as a young bloke, I’m fortunate to say that I’ve lived them and experienced so much more during my time.”

Smith singled out former Brumbies and Wallabies coach Eddie Jones, now England coach, for special mention, calling him “a constant supporter and mentor”.

“I was extremely lucky in my career to have landed myself in Canberra as a young 19-year-old kid, having the luxury of being tutored by the finest peers and coaches in the game at the ACT Brumbies,” he said.

“Those early years in Canberra shaped a part of my rugby identity and further encouraged my personal ambitions to better myself as a rugby player.”

Smith played almost 150 games for the Brumbies during a career that also took him to the Queensland Reds, French sides Toulon, Lyon and Stade Francais, along with Japan’s Suntory and English teams Wasps and Bristol.

He twice won the prestigious John Eales Medal for best Australian player and was awarded the Brumbies players’ player of the year gong 10 times in his 12 seasons.

“George belongs in that rare category of player that could turn the course of a game in an instant with a crucial turnover, a powerful run or a big defensive play,” said Rugby Australia chief Raelene Castle.

“He was universally respected by his teammates and opponents and has been a huge presence in the clubs he has represented all over the world, as well as on the international stage with the Wallabies.”

Smith did not spell out his next move, but reports in Bristol said he would become defence coach at Tokyo-based Suntory in the Japanese Top League.

This is the same team that sacked him last year following his arrest over the alleged assault of a taxi driver.

He was released after 18 days in police custody after prosecutors decided against pressing charges. Smith denied the allegations.

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LONDON, United Kingdom, May 21 – Formula One legend Niki Lauda is “irreplaceable”, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said in reaction to the death of the Austrian three-time world champion at the age of 70.

Lauda — whose death comes eight months after he underwent a lung transplant — had been non-executive chairman of Mercedes since 2012 and was instrumental in persuading Lewis Hamilton to move to them for the 2013 campaign from McLaren.

The English pilot has since gone on to win four drivers championships and the team has won five successive constructors titles.

“Our Mercedes team has also lost a guiding light,” said Wolff in a team statement.

“As a team-mate over the past six and a half years, Niki was always brutally honest — and utterly loyal.

“It was a privilege to count him among our team and moving to witness just how much it meant to him to be part of the team’s success.

“Whenever he delivered one of his famous motivational speeches, he brought an energy that nobody else could replicate.

“Niki, you are quite simply irreplaceable, there will never be another like you.”

Wolff said his compatriot’s passing left a huge void in the sport.

“Niki will always remain one of the greatest legends of our sport — he combined heroism, humanity and honesty inside and outside the cockpit,” said the 47-year-old Austrian.

“His passing leaves a void in Formula One. We haven’t just lost a hero who staged the most remarkable comeback ever seen, but also a man who brought precious clarity and candour to modern Formula One.

“He will be greatly missed as our voice of common sense.”

During his driving career, Lauda suffered horrific injuries on August 1, 1976 when, having already won five races that season, his vehicle burst into flames on the Nuerburgring in Germany.

Despite being given the last rites in hospital he made a miraculous recovery to race again just six weeks later still bandaged and in intense pain.

He went on to win two of his drivers’ titles post that narrow brush with death in 1977 (Ferrari) and 1984 (McLaren).

Lauda underwent an emergency lung transplant in a Vienna hospital in August 2 last year after contracting an infection in his lungs, which were scarred and weakened by the effects of inhaling high temperature smoke during the 1976 accident.

Years before he had also received kidney transplants. When one failed, a second kidney was donated by his then-girlfriend Birgit Wetzinger, a former flight attendant, who he married in 2008.

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NAIROBI, Kenya, May 21 – The Coca-Cola Company in Kenya has partnered with Kenya Golf Union (KGU) to sponsor the union’s chairman’s prize tournament to be held in the par 72 Limuru Country Club golf course.

The two-day golf tournament which will be held over the Jamuhuri Day weekend will start on Friday 31st May and end on Saturday 1st June 2019. The exclusively armatures golf tourney will see a total of 300 golfers descend on the Limuru Golf Course to bid farewell to the out-going KGU Chairman, Lucas Maranga.

Some top armatures have already confirmed to grace the event, including the 2018 top ranked armature golfer Samuel Njoroge of Railway Golf Club and 2018 Kenya armature match-play champion Daniel Nduva, among other notable armature golfers.

“We are aware of the great strides the union has made in developing golf in the country including lobbying for the sport to be part of the school games like other sports. I am   informed that the junior course currently under development at Lenana School is 80 percent complete. This is a great step that once completed, will enable young golfers     to develop their skill on the course,” said Evanson Ndungu, Marketing Manager Coca-Cola Kenya.

This year’s Chairman’s prize tournament will also see junior players participate in the two day competition. Kenya Golf Union is in the forefront of entrenching junior golf as a way of equipping young golfers with skills that can match those of international professional golfers.

On his part, the outgoing Chairman observed the need to grow the sport through providing junior golfers with equipment.

“Through the Sports, Culture and Heritage and Education ministries, we are developing junior golf across the country, I have been going around several Counties supporting junior golfers through providing them with equipment to play golf and build their interest in the sport. This is one of the ways we can develop golfers who can compete at the international level once they are properly trained,” said Lucas Maranga, Chairman Kenya Golf Union.

Coca-Cola are the sole beverage providers for the tournament with its flagship water brand Keringet as the hydration provider for the golfers.

Making the sponsorship announcement and a cheque handover, Coca-Cola Marketing Manager Evanson Ndungu said the partnership with Kenya Golf Union will boost the tournament’s profile while building on years of successful partnership in developing golf in the country.

“Following the recently concluded Kenya Open Tournament, you will agree, we still need to put more effort in support of our golfers to reach the global standards. I believe it is through such partnership that the sport will grow and realize the potential that is in Kenyan golfers,” Ndungu said.

The KGU Chairman’s prize tournament is a tournament that is held in high regard in the golfing fraternity as it is used to engage golfers in discourse about the sport and reflect on the past year’s agenda and achievements by the chairman.

Kenya Golf Union Chairman’s position is a one year term mandate with an agenda to administer the rules and regulations of golf across affiliate golf member clubs as well as ensuring the development of the sport in the country.

The Coca-Cola System in Kenya through its premium water brand, Keringet, will sponsor the two-day Chairman’s Prize tournament to a tune of Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Kenya Shillings.

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NAIROBI, Kenya, May 21 – Africa will host its inaugural qualifiers for the Women’s Rugby World Cup with Kenya among four countries who have vibrant leagues battling out for the single slot in the 15s version of the sport.

The Rugby Africa Women’s Cup will be held in Johannesburg from Aug. 9-17 bringing together hosts South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Madagascar.

Considering that there isn’t yet an established African ranking for women’s fifteen-a-side rugby, the four fifteens teams were chosen on the basis of the level and frequency of play of the female players.

Katie Sadleir, general manager for women’s rugby at World Rugby, said the new event represents an opportunity not to be missed.

“The development of women in rugby is the greatest opportunity for our sport over the next decade. This is an essential part of world rugby’s vision of a ‘A sport for all, true to its values’ and is aligned with its mission to grow the global family,” said Sadleir on Monday.

“Women’s rugby is experiencing unprecedented growth and participation levels are at an all-time high. Women’s rugby in Africa is leading the way in terms of the number of women players registered worldwide,” said Sadleir.

The four teams competing will see the winner secure a place to play in New Zealand in 2021. Each team will play three matches and a points classification will be established.

The winner of the tournament will qualify directly for the World Cup whilst the second best team will play a match against a selected team from South America and join the global repechage tournament if victorious.

President of Rugby Africa, Khaled Babbou, says advancement of the sport in their continent is a priority objective.

“Organizing qualifiers for the World Cup provides a springboard for the players and a chance for teams to reach the highest level in the sport. Rugby development is at the heart of our concerns, and women’s rugby is a major strategic priority,” said Babbou.

Women’s rugby is still developing in Africa, and the only way to raise the bar is by its teams to face more international competition.

The continental rugby body held a conference in Gaborone, Botswana in May where they came up with a strategic plan, adapted to the geographical, economic and cultural realities of the African continent.

It all targets to promote the sport of rugby among women. The 12-team competition will be hosted by New Zealand, marking the first time it will take place in the Southern Hemisphere.

-By Xhinua-

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NAIROBI, Kenya, May 21 – On form world champion Hellen Obiri headlines the greatest field of women distance runners ever assembled on US soil for the Prefontaine Classic 3000m when the IAAF Diamond League heads to Stanford on June 30.

World 5000m and cross-country champion Obiri will be making her sixth appearance at the Prefontaine Classic. She set meeting records at 1500m in 2013 and 2014, then won the 5000m in 2016.

The Kenyan, who won the 5000m IAAF Diamond League title in 2018, is undefeated this year and won the 3000m at the opening leg of the IAAF Diamond League in Doha earlier this month in a world-leading 8:25.60.

Multiple world record-holder and five-time world indoor champion Genzebe Dibaba has won all three of her past Pre Classic appearances and her 14:19.76 victory in 2015 is the fastest 5000m ever run in the US.

Sifan Hassan won the 1500m Diamond League trophy in 2015 and followed it with world indoor gold over the same distance in 2016. The Dutch athlete is one of the most versatile runners in history, boasting an 800m PB of 1:56.81 and a half marathon PB of 1:05:15. She also holds the European 5000m record and the world 5km record.

Olympic 10,000m champion and world record-holder Almaz Ayana will be competing in the US for the first time. The Ethiopian won the 2015 world 5000m title, 2016 5000m Diamond Trophy and 2017 world 10,000m title, but missed all of last year with a knee injury.

Obiri, Dibaba, Ayana and Hassan are among the seven fastest women of all time at 5000m, but this will be the first time they have all raced one another at any distance.

The addition of world and Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya adds further interest. Although she has contested the distance in low-key domestic races in South Africa, this will be her first international 3000m race.

Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey and Senbere Teferi, ranked eighth and ninth respectively on the world 5000m all-time list, are also in the field. Gidey is a two-time world U20 cross-country champion, while Teferi earned world silver medals at 5000m and cross country in 2015.

The field also includes two-time Ethiopian champion Fantu Worku, versatile Kenyan Caroline Chepkoech Kipkurui, world U20 cross-country champion Beatrice Chebet, 2017 world cross-country bronze medallist Lilian Kasait Rengeruk, double European indoor silver edallist Konstanze Klosterhalfen, 2016 European 5000m and 10,000m champion Yasmin Can, European 1500m bronze medallist Laura Weightman, six-time NCAA champion Karissa Schweizer and USA’s Rachel Schneider.

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NAIROBI, Kenya, May 21 – Paralympian Vincent Mutai was on Tuesday unveiled as the StarTimes Sports Personality of the Month of April.

Mutai took the accolade after winning three Class T46 Gold medals in the 100 metres, 200 metres and the Long Jump at the 4th International Athletics Meeting in Marrakech, Morocco.

To claim the coveted award, Mutai beat African U20 gold medallists Faith Chepkemoi and Mary Moraa, and Brigid Kosgei who won the women’s race at the 2019 London Marathon.

An overjoyed Mutai said he is motivated to perform better at the World Para Athletics Championships that take place in Dubai in November.

“As a paralympian, I am pleasantly surprised to have won this award. My aim is to meet the qualifying times for the 2020 Paralympic Games that will be hosted in Japan and also improve my personal best,” Added Mutai.

For the win, Mutai was awarded a 43 inch StarTimes Digital TV and Ksh. 100,000 Prize Money. He becomes the 22nd winner of the Award since Its inception in 2017.

Speaking during the award ceremony, StarTimes Regional Marketing Director Aldrine Nsubuga noted the significance of the award which has since covered a range of sports disciplines and in the process recognized outstanding sports personalities who have gone on to justify their awards locally and internationally this being a true reflection of how competitive the award continues to be.

“We have since awarded excellent sports personalities in over ten sports disciplines, some of the beneficiaries of this StarTimes sports personality of the month have equally stood out at local and international platforms reflecting on the competitive nature of this award which we are keen to grow moving forward,” noted Nsubuga.

Sports Journalists Association of Kenya President Chris Mbaisi congratulated Mutai noting that the Association’s commitment towards playing an active role in promoting sports excellence in the country.

“Congratulations Mutai, your win is a true testament of the association’s commitment towards promoting sports excellence both in local and international tournaments. Our team will continue looking out for these stand out performances key in recognizing them through such efforts as the StarTimes sports personality of the month awards,” noted Mbaisi.

Mutai joins a glittering list of top sportsmen and women to have won the award, among them Fatuma Zarika, Eliud Kipchoge, Mary Keitany, Wycliffe Kinyamal, Hellen Obiri, Chess Player Sasha Mongeli, Swimmer Maria Brunhelner, Rally Driver Manvir Baryan, Beatrice Chepkoech and Boxer Judy Waguthi.

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NAIROBI, Kenya, May 21 – Gor Mahia and Harambee Stars creative midfielder Francis Kahata led Kits for Africa initiative at the Ruiru stadium, distributing football wear donated by SportPesa’s partner clubs in Europe to his homebase.

Kahata, who was raised in Ruiru, lauded the initiative adding that support for training gear will go a long way in boosting the morale of budding footballers who benefit from these donations.

“I appreciate Kits for Africa administrators for sharing the donations in Ruiru. I remember playing with no boots and sometime bare-chested as I was growing up here. This is a good way to motivate the young talents and I hope they will work hard in return,” said Kahata, who was recently named to the Kenyan National Football team for AFCON.

The Kits for Africa donations were distributed to 30 teams from Ruiru, 20 from Thika and 10 from Dandora.

The initiative launched three years ago encourages football players and fans to donate their old kit to sports-mad communities across Africa.

“Football in the neighborhood is faced by a lot of challenges. Some players give up mainly because they lack proper gear and opt to do other things instead,” added Posta Rangers player Simon Mbugua who also grew up in the same neighbourhood as Kahata.

Kahata used the event to drum up support for his club Gor Mahia ahead of Sunday’s Mashemeji Derby. He called on the Ruiru football fans to show up in large numbers to the match which will be held at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani from 4.15pm.

Earlier in the day, Coach William Muluya of Kariobangi Sharks helped distribute the Kits for Africa donations in Dandora. He said the initiative is a good way of nurtuting football talent from the early stages within the local neighborhoods and would help keep the youngsters focused.

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LONDON, United Kingdom, May 22 – Arsenal’s managing director, Vinai Venkatesham, has branded the choice of venue for the Europa League final as “unacceptable”, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan set to miss the game due to fears over his safety.

The Armenian’s safety was a concern because of the dispute between his country and Azerbaijan, the host nation of next week’s fixture between the Gunners and Chelsea.

Despite receiving assurances aimed at allaying those fears, Mkhitaryan has chosen not to travel to Baku following discussions with the club and his family.

Arsenal boss Unai Emery said he respected the ‘personal’ nature of Mkhitaryan’s decision, but conceded it was ‘bad news’ for his team.

But Venkatesham branded the situation ‘unacceptable’ and revealed the club would make the full extent of their anger known to the governing body.

He was quoted as saying by a number of national newspapers: “I struggle to find words for how strongly I feel. We feel it’s unacceptable.

“We don’t feel he can travel and it’s extraordinarily sad. You don’t get a chance to play in major European finals often. Miki has had it taken away from him and it is an extraordinary shame.

“We made our point clearly to UEFA, we have written to them. We will also sit down with them face to face after the final and express how it is unacceptable and how it can never happen again to Arsenal or anyone.”

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