The original ban, first reported by Kaab TV, was issued by the Minister of Sports and Youth, Hodan Said Hassan.

The minister cited security concerns following violence during a recent match between fans of the Mudug and Nugal teams as the primary reason for the ban.

“We are sorry and apologize for not being able to control the female fans. The girls are a huge burden on us.  On Tuesday, December 31, we want to ban all women from the stadium and have them stay at home to watch the game,” Minister Hodan stated during a press briefing on Sunday.

However, the decision faced widespread public backlash and condemnation from human rights groups, ultimately forcing a reversal. Critics called the decision discriminatory and likened it to the restrictive policies of Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers.

“Puntland Human Rights Committee engaged with the Deputy President, and the decision was reversed,” said Mohamed Hassan, an online activist from Puntland.

Former Somali Minister of Health, Dr. Fawziya Abikar, also criticized the initial ban, calling it “unfair” and questioning its justification.

“Security concerns? So women cannot go? Is this a collective punishment for women fans? This is not fair,” she remarked.

On Monday, the Governor of Nugal, Abdirahman Haji Abshir, confirmed that women would be allowed to attend Tuesday’s football matches.

Governor Abshir emphasized that women should not be blamed for any violent incidents and reaffirmed their right to participate as fans.

Minister Hodan also announced the reversal during another press briefing, explaining that the decision was made following an order from the President of Puntland.

“Following the ban on women yesterday, I want to state that, by the order of the President of Puntland, women are now allowed to attend the football match on Tuesday,” she said.

The Deputy Police Commissioner, Brigadier General Aidid Ahmed Nur, reiterated that women have the right to attend matches and warned against violence or incitement based on clan affiliations.

“Anyone who commits a crime will bear full responsibility and will be dealt with accordingly,” General Aidid stated.

Puntland, a semi-autonomous state in northeastern Somalia, is hosting its regional football tournament, which began on December 10.

The tournament features nine regional teams and has sparked intense rivalry among fans, occasionally leading to violent clashes.

The final game of the regional tournament, set to take place on Tuesday, will see the Nugal team face off against the Bari team in what promises to be a highly anticipated and intense match.

In the last match on Friday, Nugal, representing the capital Garowe, defeated Mudug with a close 3-2 victory.

The tensions between fans were highlighted as exchanges of clannism-related comments sometimes escalated into violence.

Tuesday’s match is expected to proceed with heightened security measures and renewed efforts to promote inclusivity and ensure peaceful participation by all fans.

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The game ended in a 2-2 draw, meaning Nugaal and Karkaar remain in Group A, while Sool and Ayn have been eliminated.

The Puntland regional football tournament, which began on December 10, features teams from nine regions across Puntland. Now, only four teams—Nugaal, Karkaar, Bari, and Mudug—remain in contention as the final leg begins this week.

Five other teams—Raascaseyr, Sool, Ayn, Sanaag, and Highland—have been knocked out of the competition.

The tournament is set to conclude on December 30, with the final match determining the ultimate winner.

Since the start of the games, thousands of supporters have gathered in Garowe, the regional capital, cheering for their respective teams.

The participation of Sool and Ayn, two teams representing regions currently under SSC-Khaatumo control, has sparked disputes between Puntland and Khaatumo state officials. Despite the controversy, both teams participated in the games without interruption.

The post Puntland Football Tournament: Nugaal and Karkaar Advance as Final Leg Approaches appeared first on Kaab TV.

The member associations of Mauritania, Malawi and Djibouti have been selected for a new programme in Africa to set up inclusive football academies that will also teach youngsters how to prepare for life outside the four lines of the pitch.

The programme, run by FIFA and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and implemented by the NGO PLAY International and the Senegal-based Diambars Institute, is intended to make the most of football’s ability to teach life skills such as commitment and teamwork. It aims to prepare academy players to be future citizens, bearing in mind that only a tiny proportion will become professional footballers, and broaden their economic and professional horizons through football, empower them and ensure their employability.

“Football can provide a lot of skills that you can take into life such as discipline, passion and commitment. We emphasise to all our member associations that they have a responsibility both to develop football and to give opportunities to kids, women and men within the country,”  said Gelson Fernandes, FIFA Director Member Associations, Africa.

“This project brings all these things together –  it is a beautiful project that we will finance with the AFD, and we hope we can do more in the future.”

The programme is structured around several themes which reflect the positive values FIFA aims to promote and protect – child welfare and protection, gender equality and education. It is also connected to the FIFA Talent Development Scheme, which aims to help member associations identify and develop young players, and the FIFA Guardians programme, which provides a framework to help the 211 member associations prevent any risk of harm to children in football and respond appropriately.

“I’m delighted the reinforcement programme for inclusive sporting academies in Africa, just a few months after it kicked off at the Diambars Institute in Saly, marks a new stage in the partnership between FIFA and the AFD Group. This collaboration is testimony to our mutual desire to make football an accelerator of social investment, and continues in the same vein of the initial agreement signed in the presence of President Macron in 2019 and the commitments of Nouveau Sommet Afrique-France. With FIFA, we form a crack team to make football a vehicle for sustainable development, for youth and gender equality, for education, and child welfare,”  said Rémy Rioux, Chief Executive Officer of AFD Group.

Djiboutian FA President Souleiman Hassan Waberi said his association was delighted to be participating in the programme. “We would like to thank FIFA for its support, starting with the construction of the academy through the Forward programme. This initiative with the AFD will now ensure that it is functional, so that we can train our best talent, but also provide a safer environment, offer an educational pathway and promote gender equality,”  he said.

Football Association of Malawi President Walter Nyamilandu said: “The establishment of an academy is a game changer for Malawi football. This partnership with FIFA/AFD will set us apart and position us for greatness. The spin-offs of this project are huge as it will transform lives of our players socially and economically. We cannot wait for the revolution to gather momentum as we step up a gear to produce quality players with exceptional talent.”

Ahmed Yahya, President of the Mauritanian Football Association, said it was an honour and privilege to be included. “We will work hard so that our academy is a forum to train young players on the one hand, and a model for all those, on the continent or elsewhere, who want to develop their football in a scientific, polished, gradual and deliberate way, on the other hand,”  he said.

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3,800 candidates sat the first FIFA football agent exam; 1,962 candidates (52%) successful and therefore eligible to receive a football agent licence; Next exam scheduled for 20 September 2023; Use of licensed football agents for transfers to be compulsory from 1 October 2023.

While 6,586 candidates originally applied for the licence, only 3,800 exam submissions were ultimately received by FIFA. All the candidates will receive their results, with further opportunities for unsuccessful applicants to retake the exam on 20 September 2023 and again in May and November 2024.

Approximately 300 FIFA Agent Platform administrators helped to conduct the exam, which was taken by candidates from 138 member associations. The exam was held in different time zones, with the first one starting at 02:00 CET on 19 April and the last one finishing at 03:00 CET on 20 April.

The licensing system is one of the pillars of the FIFA Football Agent Regulations, which aim to raise the professional and ethical standards of the profession.

Following a transitional period, the use of licensed football agents for transfers will become compulsory from 1 October 2023.

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