With increasing expectations and pressure to be at the top of their game, individual sportspeople are hit the hardest when it comes to mental health issues. Is there more support now than before?



By Nick Said



Mental health in sports has become a hot topic after some high-profile incidents in recent years in which competitors at the very top of their game have taken a step back in order to safeguard their own well-being.



It begs the question, are we putting sportspeople under increasing pressure with our demands as fans over their performance, or have these issues always been there and it is simply a case of individuals being more willing to talk about, and confront, their fears?



Rugby players Michael Hooper and Sbu Nkosi, swimmer Michael Phelps, gymnast Simone Biles, and tennis stars Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams, among many others, have all admitted to mental health issues in the last few years.



Their troubles are the tip of the iceberg, but instead of enduring their inner struggles, they have chosen to speak out and take a step back from their sport.



Dr Jannie Botha is a world-renowned psychologist who has worked with a number of sports teams and individuals to help them deal with the scrutiny of being in the public eye and always under pressure to perform.



He has been contracted by South African Rugby and the Blue Bulls, local soccer sides Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, as well golfers, and Olympic medal-winning athletes and swimmers.



“People are now more open when it comes to speaking about how they feel,” Botha tells FORBES AFRICA.



“In the past they had to simply survive in their ‘bubble’ and the environment they were in, where they were mentally not well but couldn’t do anything about it.



“They were seen as such heroes that they felt they couldn’t show emotion. A ‘cowboys don’t cry’ kind of thing. But that was the past, it has changed a lot.”



Dr Botha believes individual sportspeople are hit the hardest, often without the support around them to see them through the tough times.



In a team environment there is often a shoulder to cry on.



“There is a difference. In an individual sport, my mental capacity is my own support. In a team environment, my mental capacity is my teammates’ support,” he says.



“You can hide it much longer in a team situation and endure it for much longer with teammates around you.



“You can function much longer in a team sport because your team carries you, but for individuals, there is not that support, so it is more severe.”



Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka has been one of the most high-profile individuals to speak out in recent times, saying she struggled with constantly being in the media glare.



“I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and have had a really hard time coping with that,” she said last year.



“It was important to me to be public because I think it gives me clarity. Just saying out loud that I’ll take a break and I’ll come back when I am truly in love with the sport and I know what I want to do here; it gave me time to reset myself.”



Hooper, one of the leading stars in rugby and long time captain of the Australian national team, quit the side abruptly while on tour in Argentina last year, saying he needed a break from the sport just hours before he was due to play.



“I’ve been playing the game for a long time, had some great changes in my life and there were a lot of things running through my head showing up in Argentina, and Argentina wasn’t the place where I needed to (be to) sort these things out,” Hooper later said.



“I wanted to be around family. I wanted to be in a place where I could put the time in to those things that I needed to put in. As a younger man, I viewed asking for help as, I guess, a bit of a weakness. You want to feel like you have it all worked out and I certainly didn’t.”



Hooper returned to the side months later, but Dr Botha says the player’s feelings are typical.



“The problem is that because in a sense they believe they live in a bubble, which the media creates for them, they struggle to function in normal life. That bubble gives them a bit of security, even if it is false.”



Dr Botha adds that with players expected to perform weekly in what has turned into a 12-month season, both in individual and team sports, that pressure builds.



“The expectations (from fans) have not changed, even though the seasons have got longer,” he says. “They are playing all year round now and the public does not see that, they just want performance week after week. It has changed the dynamics completely.”



South Africa had its own recent case of a player withdrawing from the public eye when Bulls wing Sbu Nkosi went missing for three weeks, leading to such alarm that a missing person case was opened with the police.



He was eventually found at the home of his father in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province and said it had been a build-up of mental pressure over time that saw him take his leave of absence and cut himself off from the world.



“It’s just been a whole lot of mental pressure. It’s been building up for a couple of years now,” he told Sport24. “I was just trying to keep myself calm. That’s been a battle. I’m at a point where I need to prioritize the person before the rugby player.



“I just needed time. I’ve basically been curled up in a ball with my dad, and he’s been managing my mental state daily. 



“I’ve had plenty teammates and I can tell you, not everyone is okay. It’s a tough environment.” But Dr Botha does believe that sportspeople are at least receiving more support than a decade ago. “There is much more awareness, I can see that in the last 10 years,” he says. “Especially in team sports, there is much more focus on helping people in need. Most of the big teams have psychologists working for them now and that is a big positive.”

Shot of a muscular young man wearing headphones while exercising outdoors

Off-Field Battles: How Do African Sports Stars Handle Mental Health Issues

Focus is now quickly switching to the African nations taking part in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Key to Banyana Banyana’s chances is livewire goalkeeper Andile Dlamini.



By Nick Said



The recent World Cup in Qatar has been a massive boost for African football and provided a newfound respect for the game on the continent from a skeptical watching world. Morocco’s historic run to the semifinals was coupled with victory for Tunisia over France, and Cameroon against Brazil, results that stunned fans across the globe. Focus will quickly now switch to the African nations who will take part in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup that will be staged in Australia and New Zealand, where South Africa, Zambia, Nigeria and Morocco will carry the hopes of the continent. 



For Banyana Banyana, it is a second successive visit to the global showpiece competition, having debuted in France in 2019, where they were placed on a steep learning curve but will have taken much from that experience into this latest edition.



They have a bit of a horror draw in the group stage though. Sweden were runners-up at the 2003 World Cup and have won bronze on three other occasions, including last time out in France.



They have also won the silver medal at the last two Olympic Games.



Italy are ranked number 17 in the world and were quarterfinalists four years ago, though perhaps Banyana midfielder Refiloe Jane, who has been based in that country for the last few years, will be able to add some insight.



Argentina are appearing at a fourth World Cup but have yet to get past the group stages, so may be the team Banyana should target. They are ranked 29 in the world, still well ahead of South Africa’s 54.



Key to Banyana’s chances is livewire goalkeeper Andile Dlamini, 30, now a veteran of the side having made her debut back in 2011.



“Our group is a very tough one, but we are also a tough team to beat,” she tells FORBES AFRICA confidently. “We are fighting for women’s football in Africa.”



Dlamini was a star as South Africa won the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, a maiden continental gold medal, and says this is a team very much on the up.



“We told ourselves we wanted to win the Afcon and we did that. We are in a good space mentally, even if we know it is going to be a tough World Cup. Those three teams have a whole lot more experience in their squad with players who play professionally day in and day out.



“We haven’t had a professional league in our country, but our mentality is in the right space and we do the extra work needed to pick up a little bit [more quality]. One thing I can promise, it is not going to be easy for anyone in the group.”



Dlamini understands that it is not just about competing for a trophy at the World Cup. Especially in Africa, it means so much more.



“We will perform to the best of our abilities because we know there is that girl child watching and saying, ‘I want to be a Banyana player one day’. We are going to the World Cup to show that child what is possible.



“We know this is true, because being at the World Cup in 2019 changed not only how aspiring soccer players saw us, but also brands. We saw sponsors come forward and want to be involved in women’s football.



“Being seen there encourages that young girl or boy from the hood to say, ‘it is possible.



If Andile has done it, then so can I. Even without the best facilities or equipment, I can do it’. We want to show those young children that football can change your life.”



Banyana will be based in Wellington in New Zealand during the pool phase and open their campaign against Sweden on July 23.



“Performing at that huge stage encourages you as a footballer,” Dlamini says. “You don’t want to disappoint those people who have always supported you. I take motivation from that.”

Women’s International Friendly: South Africa v Brazil

All Set To Goal: Africa At Women’s World Cup

Blood and bruises, sweat and fury. Mixed martial arts is gaining popularity in South Africa with home-grown talent fighting to find their place in the continent and beyond.



By Paula Slier Additional reporting by Khaka Ngcofe



For many people, cage-fighting throws up images of gladiators tearing into one another with spears and other weapons. Branded ‘the ultimate fight’, it brings together a range of martial arts.



Introduced to Africa 18 years ago by South African Brad Bloch, fondly referred to as the Godfather of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), this no-holds-barred is a full-contact combat sport. It involves much more than just stepping into a cage.



“People have different skill-sets,” says Bloch, “whether it’s kung fu, karate, boxing, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, sunbi, or whatever. You can’t just have one skill-set in order to fight this fight”.



Dating back to the ancient Greeks, when unarmed combat was first introduced into the Olympic Games in 648 BCE, cage-fighting has always been regarded as the most extreme combat sport. It recently resurfaced in the early 2000s in the United States when an American reality television series, The Ultimate Fighter, gained huge popularity. The show featured daily preparations of fighters and their interactions with each other while they lived under the same roof. It was instrumental to the survival and expansion of the sport into mainstream.



However, for all those who support MMA, there are just as many critics who argue the sport gives fighters much more liberty than professional boxers or judoka. And that’s despite the fact that it has been scientifically proven that a cage is safer than a boxing ring.



“If you’re fighting and get taken down to the ground, the cage supports you,” points out Bloch.



“Your head drops down correctly and rolls down on the surface of the cage. Whereas if you’re in a boxing ring and your head hits the ground, it can sometimes bounce and cause great whiplash. In a cage, you also fall onto the canvas and there’s no chance you can fall outside the cage. In a boxing ring, many people have fallen out of the ring and that’s extremely unsafe.”



Today, MMA is legal in almost all countries around the globe but still some African, European and Asian countries prohibit it.



It remains a hot topic of debate.



“We introduced the sport into Africa through South Africa and had to meet certain conditions to legalize it,” explains Bloch.



“We had to have a big brother company overseas. Since then the growth has been exponential, not only on a professional, but also on an amateur level. Fighters can compete, get their provincial colors and represent their country at the world championship.”



Considered the fastest-growing sport in the world with an estimated 449 million followers, according to International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMF), the global body for MMA, there are only 19 African countries who have legalized it. They include, amongst others, Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Tunisia and Zambia.



Audiences are very diverse, often made up of women, men and families.



“I actually think the women shout louder than the men,” laughs Bloch.



“The number of female competitors is growing at a rapid rate globally and is becoming the big thing right now. Women are already referees so there’s no reason why they can’t also fight.”



South African-born Cassandra Le Roux, 25, is a case in point. A six-time undefeated South African champion, she was the All African Champion in 2018 and came third at the world championships in the same year.



A full-time MMA coach and trainer, she was a dancer for a few years before transitioning into the world of MMA.



“I fell in love with the technical side of things. It’s basically educated violence in a nutshell. Although I got into it for self-defence, it didn’t take long before I wanted to experience it as a sport.”



Bloch coached her, encouraging her from an early age to turn competitive.



“At first my mom was like ‘no’, and Brad was like ‘there’s a fight this weekend, you can join’. I was like ‘yeah, but you’re telling my mom’… Only after she saw me locked in the cage was she like ‘you can defend yourself and it makes you happy, so go for it’!” Le Roux was around 14 years old at the time – “super young”, she admits – and because there were so few girls competing, she remembers “it wasn’t a very long fight”. 


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“Most people ask me ‘did you feel that shot?’ And I’m like, ‘no, not really’. Sometimes we go in with some sort of injury and don’t feel like being there at all. But while you’re fighting, and for maybe like an hour afterwards, your adrenaline is so high, it feels like you’re on another planet. At the same time, you’re so calm.”



Le Roux trains a lot with men who she says appreciate and encourage the women fighters. But still, fewer females sign up compared to men.



“Every time you look, there are new people in the gym who want to compete or just train. Sometimes they train and then they fall in love with the sport and they end up competing. Most females start the training but use it more for self-defence than to compete.”



For Le Roux, her sights are firmly on the international stage.



“As long as my body can keep up with my mind, because my mind powers my body to be honest. I hope my body will hold out because I’ve had some injuries over the years.”



Le Roux’s mother, Deidre, has come a long way since her initial misgivings about the sport. She’s now her daughter’s greatest supporter, promoting not only her and other fighters, but also arranging fights across South Africa.



“We try and put on a fight every two months. We’ve got a lot of athletes from Africa who come and fight with us. So the caliber is really high,” she says.



“There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes – the venue, the cage, the medics, doctor, ambulance, two helicopters on standby, medals, paperwork, that kind of thing. It can take six, seven weeks to organize one event. Since Covid ended, there’s been such a response from fighters that we’re having to turn a lot of them away. We can’t have more than 20 fights at an event.”



Most of the fighters call Deidre “Mama D” for her dedication in ensuring that their weight is on track and that they fight only against people in the same weight category. “We have protocols through which we match fighters. They have to be exactly the same weight and you cannot put a development fighter who has never fought anyone before, against somebody who’s had eight fights. The safety precautions are hectic and the rules are the rules.



Before a fight, we have a briefing where all the fighters and coaches go through the rules again. We are extra careful – a fighter’s safety comes first. If a fighter doesn’t know the rules, he or she will not be allowed to fight.”


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Her soft spot is for the women and children.



“We start the babies from five years old until 17. But the five-year-olds, I just want to eat them up because they tear my heart strings apart. I would so like to see their numbers triple. MMA makes people very humble and respectful. Of course you get the odd diva here and there but they’re soon put in their place. I would encourage this sport for parents because it teaches children good values,” adds Deidre.



For founder Bloch, the dream is for cage-fighting to grow exponentially in Africa and for homegrown talent to find its place on the continent.



“I specifically mention Africa because a lot of our champions leave to go fight in America,” he says.



“Africa right now doesn’t have the facilities to train fighters properly and our standards are not high enough for them to compete at a world level. But we have the potential and I predict that soon the sport will explode in Africa.”

MMA 1

South Africa’s Fight Clubs: The Growing Market for Mixed Martial Arts

Flora Duffy, gold medallist in the women’s triathlon at the last Olympics in Tokyo, is determined to repeat the feat again next year. 



The mountains that surround Stellenbosch are a veritable paradise for sportspeople, offering the perfect challenge for both serious and recreational trainers.



And there is no shortage of takers. Any day, and throughout the daylight hours, the roads around the town heading up either the Drakenstein, Jonkershoek, Simonsberg or Stellenbosch mountains are filled with cyclists and runners.



For part of the year, among their number is Flora Duffy, gold medallist in the women’s triathlon at the last Olympics in Tokyo and determined to repeat the feat again next year.



The name of the 35-year-old might not immediately jump out at followers of South African sport and there is a good reason why.



Duffy hails from Bermuda, as far as you can get from the Cape winelands on the tip of the southern African continent. The tiny island lies some 1,000km off the US into the Atlantic and is a British overseas territory, renowned more for its pink beaches and the semi-formal knee length short pants.



She is royalty on the island; their only ever gold medallist and most famous sports person.



She ran to glory in the rain, having swum churning seas, and cycled in the wet before surging away from the field in Tokyo for a triumph that was decades in the making. Duffy has been an aspiring triathlete from before her 10th birthday and was competing at her fourth Olympics, having first gone to Beijing in 2008 at the age of 21.



She had paid her dues on the international triathlon circuit, winning the first of four world championships in 2016, and meeting fellow triathlete, South African Dan Hugo, who had success also on the world tour. The two married in 2017, and he has since become her coach and manager and hence the Stellenbosch connection.



“Stellenbosch has played a very big role in my preparations every single year. This is my 10th summer here,” Duffy tells FORBES AFRICA at her home in the quiet suburbs, where she starts her pre-season training which this year is very much focused on the defence of her Olympic title in just over 12 months’ time.



“A lot of people locally have really helped me, whether it&#8217;s to train with me or to help with a bit of coaching medically. Yeah, I have a really great team here. So when I come back in December/January, I can slot right back in and I have this community that&#8217;s very supportive.



“And yeah, there were are crucial people that have played important roles on my journey, building up towards Tokyo. So when I came back here, after Tokyo, there was some very meaningful people that I wanted to show the medal to and celebrate with,” says Duffy, engaging, affable and welcoming when FORBES AFRICA comes to visit.



The Olympic medal might have been a dream from early but Duffy admits the reaction to it – particularly on her island – was way more than she anticipated.



“I couldn&#8217;t believe how much. I planned so much about the race in Tokyo and performing my best to win. I never thought about the after and what it would mean to so many people in Bermuda, I just did not think of that all through,” he explains.



“So my world felt like it changed in an instant. And it was incredible to see the response and see how meaningful and how impactful winning Bermuda’s first-ever gold medal was to everyone back home. It was incredibly special and it felt like it was more than just this sport. And I think that&#8217;s a really powerful place to be.



“In some ways, being Olympic champion does change your life. But then I think my daily life is still the same thing. At the beginning of the season, I&#8217;m quite unfit. I turn up to training and I get hammered in the pool. And I&#8217;m like, ‘oh yeah, I am the Olympic champion but I&#8217;m also just a normal human in a way’.”



But Duffy wants to be anything but normal come July next year in Paris when she defends her gold.



“After winning in Tokyo, the start of the 2022 season was pretty tricky for me because I think for the first time I was sort of hit with, ‘well, why am I doing this? What now, I&#8217;ve achieved my biggest goal?’ And here I’m still training. So I really had to rethink it and kind of reframe why I&#8217;m still doing it.



“But then there&#8217;s this other part of me that obviously loves the Olympics, I&#8217;m still doing well, I&#8217;m still enjoying it for the most part. And being in Tokyo, everything went perfectly from a race point of view. But I didn&#8217;t have my friends, my family, my sponsors, that sort of Olympic experience, because of all the COVID protocols that were in place,” Duffy adds.



“So that&#8217;s really a big motivation, to go back to Paris and to have everyone there, almost regardless of the outcome, just to see it as sort of a celebration of my career, getting to race at the Olympics, as a defending champion in front of everybody.”

IMG_5443

From Being Bermuda’s First-Ever Olympic Triathlete Champion To Celebrating Success In A South African Wine Town

Morocco’s historic semifinal feat has paved the way for the continent to compete on the highest level and win.



By Nick Said 



The World Cup in Qatar may have been controversial for all sorts of reasons away from football, but there are few who will deny it was the greatest spectacle we have yet seen on the pitch.



There was excitement and drama aplenty, not least from Africa’s five representatives who generally all excelled, even though Morocco’s historic run to the semifinals saw them as the stand-out performers.



Never before had an African team got past the quarterfinals, and victories over Belgium, Spain and Portugal – all teams ranked in the global top 10 – captured the imagination of fans across the world.



So what does this mean for the future of the game in Africa? The continent has already received a boost with the news that they will have a guaranteed nine places – possibly 10 via the playoffs – at the expanded 48-team finals that will be staged in USA, Mexico and Canada in 2026.



“It shows the rich potential we have,” former Bafana Bafana defender David Nyathi, who played all three games for South Africa at the 1998 World Cup in France, tells FORBES AFRICA. “We have always had this potential, but have been let down by a lack of organization in the past. My sense is that teams are becoming more professional and this is closing the gap with the (traditional) major nations. 



“In terms of talent, it is there, right across Africa. It just needs to be harnessed properly and then we can achieve great things. I have no doubt.



“Morocco showed that if you play with good organization, confidence and the belief that you can win, then all things are possible. They were excellent through the World Cup.”



President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Dr Patrice Motsepe, says the tournament in Qatar should be a launchpad for African teams to excel on the global stage and believes there are many more with the potential to repeat Morocco’s semifinal feat… or even go one better. 



“I will never accept that an African nation cannot compete at the highest level in the world,” Motsepe says. “Morocco has opened the door and made us proud. I am confident that in the next World Cup (in 2026), an African nation will go further. 



“The main objective is for an African nation to lift the trophy. We have to believe. We have all done things in our lives that at the times appeared very difficult. But we achieved. 



“I believe there are 10 nations in Africa right now that can compete on the highest level and win. Maybe even 15. We have to encourage every single one of the 54 nations in Africa (to grow). The future of African football is extremely bright.”



But Motsepe has a rider. Football can only flourish in a country when there is support from government, as was the case in Morocco where major investment drives were made to improve facilities and develop talent. It has paid off handsomely.



“There are so many countries in Africa that do not invest (in their football). Some governments, the support is not what it should be,” he admits. “The success of Morocco is not by coincidence. Many African countries should learn from them and be inspired by their investment. 



“I want to encourage heads of state to do the same. Football gives us dignity… we don’t have the technology many western countries have; they have invested over many years. But we will get there.” Aside from Morocco’s record run, Cameroon claimed a first ever World Cup win for Africa against Brazil, Tunisia beat old foes France and Ghana pulled off an excellent win against South Korea. 



Senegal reached the last 16 for the second time as they too showed their potential. It was the first World Cup tournament where all five African competitors won at least one game.

Portugal v Morocco: Group B – 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia

What The World Cup Means For The Game’s Future In Africa

South Africa has produced some top talent in hockey, but it has also been held back in recent years. A lot more needs to be done but the team’s former coach, Garreth Ewing, left behind a stable ship, one where he worked hard to improve the culture within the team environment.



By Nick Said



South Africa’s 11th place finish at the recent 2023 Men&#8217;s FIH Hockey World Cup was perhaps below the ambitions of the team but should be measured against the realities the sport faces in a country where it is under-funded yet still manages to punch above its weight.



The side suffered two narrow pool stage losses to Argentina (0-1) and France (1-2) before a blow-out 2-9 defeat to Australia. That was followed by a 6-3 success against Malaysia and a 2-5 loss to India. All of those nations are positioned above South Africa in the global rankings, with three in the top seven, so the results also have to be taken in that context.



Hockey has a long and storied history in South Africa and the country has produced some top talent, but it has also been held back in recent years by a lack of funding and questionable administration that sees many players fighting between their passion for the game and the need to earn a living.



“The reality is we need to spend more time on the training ground. We are learning in competition, which is not ideal because there is no safety net,” former South Africa coach Garreth Ewing told FORBES AFRICA.



“The best-case scenario is to spend more time together playing games that are not in competition so we can build that experience base.



“For that to happen, it means more access to players, which in turn means supporting those players financially so they can spend time away from their jobs without the financial insecurity that would come with that.



“In an ideal world we would be together 10 months a year, but that is not realistic.”



Ewing stepped down suddenly in November last year, citing “an accumulation of events, interactions, conversations and situations over a span of months (which) were starting to impact on me, both personally and professionally.”



While Ewing, who led South Africa to the semifinals of the Commonwealth Games last year, did not go into specifics; it is clear that the burden of leading a national team in a highly competitive environment where resources are scarce is not an easy one.



“In many respects resigning was an act of self-care, nevertheless it was a sad decision, and something that will sit with me for a long time.”



But he left behind a stable ship, one where he worked hard to improve the culture within the team environment.



“We are always playing catch-up, that is our reality,” Ewing said. “But as a team, we (were) in a healthy position in terms of exposure of players and building experience in our core group.



“We (had) done some strong work culturally as a team as well and we are much more resilient and a more open environment for everybody,” he added.

FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup, Men’s – Pool B: USA v South Africa

South Africa’s Hockey History And Road Ahead

The National Basketball Association (NBA) draft is always an exciting time of the year when teams in the greatest league on earth get to refresh their squads with the best young talent available. FORBES AFRICA takes a look at the eight players who were part of this season’s draft, some of who have gone straight to their new franchises, while others will earn experience elsewhere with the long-term goal in mind. 



By Nick Said 



Africa has a deep-rooted legacy in the NBA and provided star names in the past such as Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo, Manute Bol and Luol Deng. This year, we got to see a new crop of players with ties to the continent, who have set their sights on fame and glory on the court. Here they are: 



Christian Koloko  Draft: Selected 33rd overall by the Toronto Raptors 


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Koloko became the first Cameroonian selected in the NBA draft since Toronto’s Pascal Siakam in 2016 and is the third highest drafted player from the Central African country of all time behind the latter and Joel Embiid, who was third in 2014.  Born in Douala, the 22-year-old was spotted at the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa talent scouting camp in Senegal in 2017, and was taken to the United States where he played for Birmingham High School, despite speaking no English.  The center later featured for the University of Arizona before being drafted by Toronto.  



Yannick Nzosa  Draft: Selected 54th overall by the Washington Wizards 


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<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1239215594.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57343" width="625" height="417" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1239215594.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1239215594-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1239215594-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px" /><figcaption> (Photo by Flaviu Buboi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Nzosa was only 18 when he was drafted by Washington Wizards, who have sent him to Spanish side Real Betis to get experience in the 2022/23 season. Soccer was his first love and he started as a goalkeeper given his tremendous height, before being spotted by the coach of a local basketball club in Kinshasa.  He attempted to go to an academy in Spain as a 13-year-old, but was denied a visa, and instead went to Stella Azzurra Roma, though he later was controversially taken to Spain by his mentor Joe Lolonga without the Italian club’s permission.   He made his debut for his new side Unicaja at the age of 16 and was an instant hit, even if injury has slowed his progress recently. 



  Ousmane Dieng  Draft: Selected 11th overall by the New York Knicks 


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<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1446348654.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57347" width="556" height="371" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1446348654.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1446348654-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1446348654-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 556px) 100vw, 556px" /><figcaption>(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Dieng’s family are from Senegal, though the shooting guard was born in France and has had a circular route to the NBA.  He moved to New Zealand Breakers in 2021 and competed in the National Basketball League (NBL). While there he joined the league’s Next Stars program which specifically looks to develop NBA draft prospects. It worked as he was snapped by the New York Knicks ahead of the 2022/23 season, though he was immediately traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He is still only 19. 



 &nbsp;



Khalifa Diop  Draft: Selected 39th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers 


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<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1246319180.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57345" width="508" height="338" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1246319180.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1246319180-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1246319180-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 508px) 100vw, 508px" /><figcaption>Photo by Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


The 20-year-old from Guereo, Senegal, is another who has been making a name in Spain, where he plays for Gran Canaria. He was drafted for the Cleveland Cavaliers but has been sent back to Gran Canaria to gain experience during the 2022/23 season. The center, who stands at an impressive 2.11 meters tall, first rose to prominence in the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) game at the NBA All-Star match in 2019.    Ochai Agbaji  Draft: Selected 14th overall by the Washington Wizards 


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<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1454282748.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57348" width="582" height="386" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1454282748.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1454282748-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1454282748-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 582px) 100vw, 582px" /><figcaption> (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Agbaji&#8217;s father, Olofu, moved from Nigeria to the United States when he was 17 in order to play basketball for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, though initially he encouraged his son to play soccer.  But when Ochai grew nine inches in a single year it became clear he had all the attributes to be a top baller and was a star for the University of Kansas.  The shooting guard was selected in the draft by the Washington Wizards, but they traded him to Utah Jazz in September before the season started. There he plays alongside fellow Nigerian Udoka Azubuike.     Mark Williams  Draft: Selected 15th overall by the Charlotte Hornets 



Center Williams was selected by Charlotte Hornets in the draft but is spending the season with their affiliate side Greensboro Swarm. He is an alumnus of Duke University and starred for them, catching the eye of a number of teams around the country. Williams’ older sister Elizabeth is a star of the Women’s NBA and his parents are both doctors who emigrated from Nigeria. 



  Moussa Diabate  Draft: Selected 43rd overall by the Los Angeles Clippers 


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1428443282.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57346" width="641" height="427" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1428443282.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1428443282-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1428443282-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 641px) 100vw, 641px" /><figcaption>(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Diabate’s parents are from Mali and Guinea, and he was snapped by Los Angeles Clippers in the draft after shining for the University of Michigan. He has been sent to affiliate club Ontario Clippers, where he will spend the 2022/23 season as he makes his way in the game. Diabate was part of the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) game at the NBA All-Star match in 2020. 



  Ismaël Kamagate  Draft: Selected 46th overall by the Detroit Pistons 



Kamagate will play the 2022/23 season with Paris Basketball having been loaned back to them by his new NBA employers Denver Nuggets.  In a snapshot of how complex things can get in the NBA, Detroit Pistons selected the 21-year-old in the draft having scouted him in the French league, where he has been a star. But they immediately traded him to Portland Trail Blazers, who then traded Kamagate again to the Denver Nuggets, who have now sent him to Paris. Born to Ivorian parents, he was named best defender in the French competition in 2022.

Basketball dribble

Tall Talent: Africa’s Basketball Stars

BY MARK GLEESON


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1244513639-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57259" width="511" height="340" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1244513639-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1244513639-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1244513639-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1244513639-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1244513639-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 511px) 100vw, 511px" /><figcaption>(Photo by Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Taiwo Awoniyi: The Nigerian got his dream move back to England’s Premier League with newly promoted Nottingham Forest after his previous spell as a teenager at Liverpool did not see him achieve the breakthrough he craved. Now mentally tougher after a spell in the Bundesliga with Union Berlin, Awoniyi is expected to become the lead striker in the Super Eagles line-up.&nbsp;


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1244021892-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57258" width="317" height="423" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1244021892-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1244021892-225x300.jpg 225w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1244021892-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1244021892-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1244021892-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 317px) 100vw, 317px" /><figcaption> (Photo by Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Calvin Bassey: Despite growing up in London, the Nigerian fullback has had to take a roundabout route in his career in a bid to try and play in the world’s richest league. He hails from a troubled neighborhood and says football was his way out, making a breakthrough first at Scotland’s Glasgow Rangers and now catching the eye at Ajax Amsterdam, putting him on course for a return to England.&nbsp;


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1243044805-1024x900.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57256" width="488" height="429" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1243044805-1024x900.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1243044805-300x264.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1243044805-768x675.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1243044805-1536x1350.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1243044805-2048x1800.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 488px) 100vw, 488px" /><figcaption>(Photo by David Horton &#8211; CameraSport via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Patson Daka: At club level, Daka is already playing among the best in the world in the Premier League but it is now with the Zambian national team that he is set to prove his ability. Zambia are in desperate need of revival and Daka is the man to lead them back to past glories as they will have qualifying for the next Africa Cup of Nations finals top of their agenda for 2023.&nbsp;


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1379130229-761x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57261" width="376" height="506" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1379130229-761x1024.jpg 761w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1379130229-223x300.jpg 223w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1379130229-768x1033.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1379130229-1142x1536.jpg 1142w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1379130229-1522x2048.jpg 1522w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1379130229-scaled.jpg 1903w" sizes="(max-width: 376px) 100vw, 376px" /><figcaption>(Photo by MB Media/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Ibrahima Koné: The imposing center forward from Mali has already drawn comparisons with Belgium’s goalscoring ace Romelu Lukaku, given his muscular frame and strength on the ball. He has played a leading role in helping unfashionable Lorient emerge among the French league frontrunners this season and caught the eye of the bigger clubs.&nbsp;


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1433139412-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57263" width="362" height="543" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1433139412-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1433139412-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1433139412-768x1151.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1433139412-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1433139412-1366x2048.jpg 1366w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1433139412.jpg 1388w" sizes="(max-width: 362px) 100vw, 362px" /><figcaption> (Photo by Ben Gal/Orange Pictures/BSR Agency/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Mohammed Kudus: The Ghanaian has overcome serious injury to bed down a place at Ajax Amsterdam, where this season he has been successfully converted into a center forward on occasion and scored in the Champions League. His versatility marks him out for a transfer to one of the clubs in the big five European leagues as his Dutch team are famous for selling their most exciting players.&nbsp;


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1431872453-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57262" width="385" height="513" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1431872453-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1431872453-225x300.jpg 225w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1431872453-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1431872453-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1431872453-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 385px) 100vw, 385px" /><figcaption> (Photo by Joris Verwijst/Orange Pictures/BSR Agency/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Reinildo: Mozambique is the country that produced African greats like Eusebio and Mario Coluna but it has been generations since they have given the game another superstar. Fullback Reinildo might just be that man, having already won France’s Ligue 1 with Lille and now chasing Champions League glory with Atletico Madrid of Spain, who bought him last season in an expensive move.&nbsp;


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1243091479-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57257" width="585" height="390" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1243091479-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1243091479-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1243091479-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1243091479-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1243091479-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 585px) 100vw, 585px" /><figcaption>(Photo by Photo Prestige/Soccrates/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Ibrahim Sangaré: There is always a market for a powerful midfield general, with a never-tiring engine, running, tackling and playing the role of enforcer in the middle of the park and it is only a matter of time before the Ivory Coast international hardman makes a move from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven to a club in either England, Spain or Germany.&nbsp;


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1238143674-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57255" width="354" height="531" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1238143674-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1238143674-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1238143674-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1238143674-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1238143674-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1238143674-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="(max-width: 354px) 100vw, 354px" /><figcaption>(Photo by Haykel Hmima/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Edmond Tapsoba: The Burkinabe defender has among the best figures in the German Bundesliga – pass rate, tackles and intercepts but also fouls committed and a harsh reputation for indiscipline. But it is his commitment that sees him often on the wrong end of the referee’s whistle, a characteristic that has ironically endeared him to the Bayer Leverkusen fans.&nbsp;


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1348682495-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57260" width="445" height="593" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1348682495-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1348682495-225x300.jpg 225w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1348682495-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1348682495-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1348682495-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px" /><figcaption>(Photo by Jeroen Meuwsen/BSR Agency/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Tarik Tissoudali: A horror knee injury robbed the striker of a chance to lead the attack for Morocco at the World Cup in Qatar but he is expected to bounce back in 2023 and continue his scoring form, both at club level in Belgium, and for his country. An opportunist striker, he is also expecting to be a transfer target at the end of the season.&nbsp;


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1436792831-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57264" width="627" height="418" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1436792831-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1436792831-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1436792831-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1436792831-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1436792831-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /><figcaption> (Photo by Joris Verwijst/Orange Pictures/BSR Agency/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Abakar Sylla: The Ivorian fullback made a huge impact in the Champions League group stage from September to November as his unfashionable Belgian side Club Brugge won through to this year’s knockout stages, confounding expectations with some shock victories, and at the age of 19 he is sure to be on his way to a much more glamorous destination in mid-year.&nbsp;

Screenshot 2023-01-10 at 10.57.55

10 African Soccer Stars To Watch In 2023

<h2 id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Pelé—believed by many to be the greatest soccer player ever who paved the way for the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo—died Thursday at age 82 after a long battle with colon cancer, according to his family.



<h2>KEY FACTS</h2>



“Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pelé, who peacefully passed away today. Love, love and love, forever,” read a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Pele/status/1608543008332615682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1608543008332615682%7Ctwgr%5Efd4fddff8708dbf169eb4594c8c8564869c420f8%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2Flive-blogs%2Fpele-death-reaction-tributes%2FMnmGaQnA58Cx%2F" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">post</a>&nbsp;Thursday afternoon from Pelé’s social media accounts announcing the sporting legend’s death.



 <a href="https://www.footballhistory.org/player/pele.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Born</a> Edson Arantes do Nascimento in 1940 in Três Corações, Brazil, he was nicknamed “Pelé,” for his mispronunciation of Bilé, his favorite goalie and father’s teammate, and not what many believed was an old Gaelic term for what the rest of the world calls football, as he wrote in an article for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2006/may/13/sport.comment9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Guardian</a>.



Though his father Joāo Ramos, known as “Dondinho,” was a soccer player, Pelé grew up in poverty as his father struggled to earn a living through the sport, yet that did not stop Pelé from practicing and eventually developing a natural talent for the game.



Under the tutelage of coach Waldemar de Brito, a former Brazilian national player, he further developed his game on the field with the Bauru Athletic Club juniors and, at 15 years old, with a push from de Brito, he would try out for Santos FC, one of Brazil’s top sports clubs, and make the team.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-1450708840.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57201" width="707" height="476" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-1450708840.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-1450708840-300x202.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-1450708840-768x518.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 707px) 100vw, 707px" /><figcaption>Pelé wears a crown and holds a scepter as Brazil are crowned champions at the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. (Photo by 4Imagens/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>

<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-1387470201.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57199" width="680" height="454" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-1387470201.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-1387470201-300x201.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-1387470201-768x514.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px" /><figcaption>American Archbishop of St Louis John Carberry (1904-1998) and Pele in 1973. (Photo by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>

<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-1450708611.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57200" width="637" height="608" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-1450708611.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-1450708611-300x287.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-1450708611-768x734.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 637px) 100vw, 637px" /><figcaption>Pelé is chaired off the Azteca Stadium pitch after Brazil had won the World Cup trophy for the third time after defeating Italy 4-1 on June 21, 1970 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by 4Imagens/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


He quickly led the club in scoring and was recruited for Brazil’s national team, becoming the model for the superstar soccer player as European leagues sought to recruit him.



The Brazilian cemented his legacy early in his career at the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden, making his debut at the age of 17 and becoming the youngest player to participate in a World Cup final, which Brazil would win—Pelé also won the 1962 and 1970 World Cups, making him the only soccer player in the world to hold three titles.



FIFA named Pelé the player of the century on Dec 11, 2000, a title that he holds alongside Argentinian star Diego Maradona.



In 2015, Forbes ranked Pelé as the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/pictures/fmfh45hik/10-pele/?sh=16984141552b">10th-highest paid retired athlete</a>from his $15 million in endorsement deals from companies such as Procter &amp; Gamble, Volkswagen and Emirates Airlines.



<h2>TRIBUTES</h2>



Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s president-elect and former leader,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/LulaOficial/status/1608560081221881856" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wrote</a>, “Few Brazilians took the name of our country as far as he did.” Tributes across the soccer world also streamed in. “The king of football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten. RIP KING,” French star Kylian Mbappé&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmw3BJNszmO/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">posted</a>&nbsp;to his Instagram on Thursday, including a 2019 picture with Pelé. Ronaldo also shared a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmw4CjNrctl/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tribute</a>&nbsp;to Pelé, writing, “A mere ‘goodbye’ to the eternal King Pelé will never be enough to express the pain that the entire football world is currently embracing. An inspiration to so many millions&#8230;Rest in peace King Pelé.” Messi&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/leomessi/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">posted</a>&nbsp;several photos of the late Brazilian, captioned“Rest in peace, @Pele.”



<h2>SURPRISING FACT</h2>



Pelé holds the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-career-goals-(football)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Guinness world record</a>&nbsp;for most career goals, tallying 1,279 goals before retiring in 1977.



<h2>KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Pelé regularly communicated on social media about his health, posting to both&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Pele/status/1599790707580936192?cxt=HHwWgICphYXLzLMsAAAA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Twitter</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClypqW3uOl1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Instagram</a>&nbsp;to give health updates and thank fans for their continued support. The soccer legend had been facing multiple health issues in recent years from an ICU visit for a tumor removal in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimberleespeakman/2021/09/06/soccer-icon-pel-recovering-in-icu-following-surgery-to-remove-tumor/?sh=19d742d746cc">2021</a>&nbsp;and was sudden hospitalized in late November due to a Covid-related respiratory infection, which was initially&nbsp;<a href="https://news.yahoo.com/pel-family-covid-caused-infection-025618014.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;to be a “reassessment of chemotherapy treatment.” The 2022 World Cup in Qatar featured&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marca.com/en/world-cup/2022/12/04/638c2a45e2704e25b88b45bb.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">various</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/world-cup/fifa-world-cup-2022-brazil-beat-south-korea-players-pay-tribute-to-pele-news-cancer-hospital/news-story/5a12601139dd70637581c3743f173282" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tributes</a>&nbsp;to Pelé and ended with Messi hoisting his first ever World Cup trophy, leading Argentina to the victory.



<h2>TANGENT</h2>



Pelé is credited with popularizing soccer’s nickname,“the beautiful game,” though its provenance is in dispute, with many claiming BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall began using the phrase in 1958.



By Derek Saul and Anthony Tellez, Forbes Staff

Apple Store Soho Presents Meet The Athlete: Pele

Pelé—Soccer’s First Global Icon And Brazilian Superstar—Dies At Age 82￼

<h2 id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Morocco advanced to the World Cup semifinals on Saturday, defeating Portugal 1-0 and becoming the first Arab and African country to make it to the round of four in tournament history



<h2>KEY FACTS</h2>



Morocco’s Youssef En-Nesyri scored the lone goal of the match, heading a cross from Yahya Attiyat Allah in the 42nd minute.



Morocco, which notched another shocking win over Spain in the quarterfinals last week, held on against Portugal even as its star striker Cristiano Ronaldo entered the match just after halftime—he had been snubbed from the team’s previous two matches.



Morocco was also forced to play down one person in the final minutes of play after Walid Cheddira earned a red card in the third minute of added time, after receiving two yellow cards within minutes of each other.



Following the team’s win, fans celebrated with flags of not only Morocco, but Palestine and host country Qatar.



<h2>TANGENT</h2>



Portugal manager Fernando Santos&nbsp;<a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/portugal-por/story/4829955/ronaldo-snubbed-again-portugal-bench-captain-as-difficult-world-cup-continues" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">benched</a>&nbsp;Ronaldo at the start of the match, saying, “there is no problem with our captain” and that he “had no issue with my decision.” Following the team’s dominant 6-1 win over Switzerland in the Round of Eight earlier this week, Ronaldo, the 37-year-old former Manchester United and Real Madrid star, congratulated his teammates in an Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/cristiano/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">post</a>, calling their win a “luxury exhibition of a team full of talent and youth”—although&nbsp;<a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/portugal-por/story/4825969/portugal-coach-blasts-cristiano-ronaldo-reaction-to-substitution-i-didnt-like-it-at-all" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">video footage</a>from the match caught him appearing visibly frustrated, saying, “he’s in a rush to sub me.” Ronaldo’s replacement, 21-year-old Goncalo Ramos, scored a hat trick in Portugal’s win over Switzerland.



<h2>WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



Defending champion France takes on rival England in the final match of the quarterfinals at 2 p.m. ET Saturday, with the winner facing Morocco in the semifinals on Wednesday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/12/09/sigh-of-relief-argentina-survives-staggering-netherlands-comeback-to-reach-world-cup-semifinals/?sh=4d4cd16f11c9">Argentina</a>, which narrowly held on in its quarterfinals match against The Netherlands on Friday after the Dutch team forced extra time, will play&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/12/09/world-cup-shocker-croatia-knock-out-favorites-brazil-even-as-neymar-ties-peles-goal-record/?sh=b6ccb2466c12">Croatia</a>, which won its match against Brazil—a team favored to win the tournament—in the other World Cup semifinal match on Tuesday. The final between the winners of those matches is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 18.



<h2>FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/12/09/world-cup-shocker-croatia-knock-out-favorites-brazil-even-as-neymar-ties-peles-goal-record/?sh=b6ccb2466c12">World Cup Shocker: Croatia Knocks Out Favorite Brazil Even As Neymar Ties Pelé’s Goal Record</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/12/09/sigh-of-relief-argentina-survives-staggering-netherlands-comeback-to-reach-world-cup-semifinals/?sh=4d4cd16f11c9">Sigh Of Relief: Argentina Survives Staggering Netherlands Comeback To Reach World Cup Semifinals</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/12/07/what-to-watch-in-final-world-cup-stretch-messis-last-stand-neymar-vs-pel-moroccos-run-for-the-ages/?sh=537cdff5a4a1">What To Watch In Final World Cup Stretch: Messi’s Last Stand, Neymar Vs. Pelé, Morocco’s Run For The Ages And More</a> (Forbes)



By Brian Bushard, Forbes Staff

Morocco v Portugal: Quarter Final – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

World Cup Underdogs: Morocco Defeats Portugal, Becomes First African Or Arab Country To Advance To Semifinals

<h2 id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Just a handful of games remain in the 2022 Qatar World Cup as the stakes grow higher for the eight teams still with a chance to win the world&#8217;s biggest sporting event, but there will likely be drama both on and off the scoresheet in the quarterfinals.



<h2>KEY FACTS</h2>



Messi&#8217;s last stand:&nbsp;35-year-old Argentina forward Lionel Messi—hailed as one of the greatest soccer players of all-time—has never won a World Cup, and many believe this year&#8217;s tournament will be his last real shot at capturing the coveted trophy. (Watch:&nbsp;Argentina plays the Netherlands in the quarterfinals at 2 p.m. Friday on Fox.)



Neymar vs. Pelé: Brazilian superstar Neymar is just one goal away from tying one of the most sacred records in Brazilian sports—Pelé&#8217;s 77 national team goals. Even greater attention has been brought to the potential milestone as Pelé, 82, has been <a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-health-sports-soccer-international-3495415c56919c0baeeca7e93d023163" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hospitalized</a> for over a week due to a bout with Covid-19. Doctors say his condition is improving. (Watch: Brazil plays Croatia in the quarterfinals at 10 a.m. Friday on Fox.)



Morocco&#8217;s run for the ages:&nbsp;Morocco on Tuesday stunned Spain, beating the European powerhouse in a penalty kick shootout, becoming the first Arab team to ever make it to the World Cup quarterfinals. They could make history again with a win in their match Saturday, which would make them the first African team to advance to the World Cup semifinals. (Watch:&nbsp;Morocco plays Portugal in the quarterfinals at 10 a.m. Saturday on Fox.)



Ronaldo the benchwarmer?&nbsp;A big question heading into the Morocco-Portugal match is whether Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo—whose 118 international goals are the most of any player in history—will be in his country&#8217;s starting 11. Portugal coach Fernando Santos&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/cristiano-ronaldo-starts-on-bench-for-portugal-vs-switzerland" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dropped</a>&nbsp;Ronaldo from the lineup for the round of 16 match against Switzerland after the star reacted petulantly to being substituted out of Portugal&#8217;s final group stage match against South Korea.



France goes for the repeat:&nbsp;France has looked like one of the strongest teams at the World Cup so far, and the 2018 winners are looking to make history as just the third country to ever repeat as World Cup champions, after Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962). (Watch:&nbsp;France plays England in the quarterfinals at 2 p.m. Saturday on Fox.)



Mbappé on a tear:&nbsp;23-year-old French forward Kylian Mbappé has already scored five goals in four games, making him the heavy favorite to win the Golden Boot award as the tournament&#8217;s top scorer—and his nine goals between the 2018 and 2022 tournaments puts him level with Messi for career World Cup goals and one ahead of 37-year-old Ronaldo.



England goes for glory: England is in the midst of a golden age, with its most talented and cohesive generation of players in decades—but the group has yet to win a major trophy. England went out at the semifinal stage of the 2018 World Cup and its team agonizingly lost to Italy in penalty kicks at the final of last year&#8217;s Euros in front of home fans in London. England&#8217;s one and only major tournament win came at the 1966 World Cup, which the country hosted.



<h2>WHAT WE DON&#8217;T KNOW</h2>



Where Ronaldo will play after Portugal&#8217;s World Cup run ends. He parted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/11/22/cristiano-ronaldo-will-leave-manchester-united-by-mutual-consent/?sh=ddf4942de1eb">ways with Manchester United</a>&nbsp;by &#8220;mutual consent&#8221; on November 22 after blasting the club in an interview with Piers Morgan, saying&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/11/18/ronaldo-manchester-united-breakup-latest-club-takes-steps-to-respond-to-stars-explosive-interview/?sh=367dbd465401">he doesn&#8217;t &#8220;have respect&#8221;</a>&nbsp;for manager Erik ten Hag. He&#8217;s reportedly been offered a contract to play for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr that would pay him more than $200 million a year, but he&#8217;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/4826679/cristiano-ronaldo-has-not-agreed-lucrative-saudi-arabia-contract-sources" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">denied</a>&nbsp;reports that he accepted the deal.



<h2>KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Thirty-two teams arrived at the World Cup for the group stage, which started on November 20 and ended Friday. The U.S. was among the 16 teams to advance&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/11/29/us-beats-iran-advances-to-world-cup-round-of-16/?sh=7da9768e7e54">from the group stage</a>&nbsp;to the knockout rounds, but their run ended Saturday in a 3-1&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2022/12/03/us-mens-team-eliminated-from-world-cup-in-3-1-loss-to-netherlands/?sh=369a1ba76c9e">loss to the Netherlands</a>. The 2022 World Cup is the first ever held in winter due to the brutally hot summers in host nation Qatar. Much of the attention heading into the event was on the host country, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/11/19/dont-criticize-qatar-fifa-boss-fires-back-at-detractors-in-bizarre-news-conference-a-day-before-world-cup-kicks-off/?sh=1b9ba6bb5d86">has faced widespread condemnation</a>&nbsp;for allegedly violating the human rights of thousands of migrant workers who built up Qatar&#8217;s infrastructure ahead of the event. Qatar has also been accused of bribing FIFA officials in 2010 to win hosting rights, beating out a bid from the United States.



<h2>WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



The 2022 World Cup Final is set for December 18 at 10 a.m. Brazil are the betting favorites to win it all heading into the quarterfinals, followed by France, Argentina, England and Portugal, according to Caesars Sportsbook.



<h2>FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/11/19/dont-criticize-qatar-fifa-boss-fires-back-at-detractors-in-bizarre-news-conference-a-day-before-world-cup-kicks-off/?sh=1b9ba6bb5d86">‘Don’t Criticize Qatar’: FIFA Boss Fires Back At Detractors In Bizarre News Conference—A Day Before World Cup Kicks Off</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/11/22/cristiano-ronaldo-will-leave-manchester-united-by-mutual-consent/?sh=ddf4942de1eb">Cristiano Ronaldo Will Leave Manchester United By ‘Mutual Consent’</a>(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/11/29/us-beats-iran-advances-to-world-cup-round-of-16/?sh=7da9768e7e54">U.S. Beats Iran—Advances To World Cup Round Of 16</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2022/12/03/us-mens-team-eliminated-from-world-cup-in-3-1-loss-to-netherlands/?sh=369a1ba76c9e">U.S. Men’s Team Eliminated From World Cup In 3-1 Loss To Netherlands</a> (Forbes)



By Nicholas Reimann, Forbes Staff

Paris Saint Germain v Olympique Lyonnais – Ligue 1 Uber Eats

What To Watch In Final World Cup Stretch: Messi’s Last Stand, Neymar Vs. Pelé, Morocco’s Run For The Ages And More

<h2 id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



French soccer referee Stéphanie Frappart will make history Thursday when she leads the first all-female refereeing trio in a men’s World Cup match—the latest in a series of records and tournament firsts happening in Qatar.



<h2>KEY FACTS</h2>



Frappart will be joined by assistants Neuza Back from Brazil and Karen Diaz from Mexico to officiate the match between Costa Rica and Germany on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/FIFAcom/status/1597670007735218176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1597670007735218176%7Ctwgr%5E4299cada349615949e65f39d6a25e1e07141ad5d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsports.yahoo.com%2Fworld-cup-2022-germany-vs-costa-rica-to-feature-historic-all-female-refereeing-crew-175316042.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FIFA</a>&nbsp;announced this week.



During a match against Qatar last week, England’s 19-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://news.sky.com/story/england-make-winning-start-to-world-cup-campaign-in-qatar-thrashing-iran-12752494" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jude Bellingham</a>&nbsp;became the first player born in the 21st century to score a goal in a World Cup match.



The Qatar tournament also features the first set of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/articles/fifa-world-cup-2022-qatar-inaki-williams-nico-williams-spain-ghana" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">full siblings</a>&nbsp;to compete for different teams, with Iñaki Williams representing Ghana and his younger brother, Nico Williams, making his World Cup debut for Spain. (The Williams brothers were born in Spain to a Ghanaian father and Liberian mother, and Iñaki previously played for Spain.)



Canadian coach John Herdman is the first manager in World Cup history to have led both a men&#8217;s and a women&#8217;s team at the tournaments, having previously coached the New Zealand women’s team in the 2007 and 2011 women’s World Cups.



When Qatar lost to Ecuador last week, it was the first time in World Cup history that a host team lost their opening match.



<h2>KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



The Qatar World Cup is the first ever held in the Middle East, and the most expensive in the tournament’s history, with Qatar spending an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattcraig/2022/11/19/the-money-behind-the-most-expensive-world-cup-in-history-qatar-2022-by-the-numbers/?sh=7f2bbfddbff5">$220 billion</a>&nbsp;over the past decade to prepare, including constructing seven new stadiums in which to hold matches. Because of the hot Qatari climate, the tournament is also the first to be held in winter instead of the usual summer schedule, which has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/uk/soccer/news/leagues-world-cup-2022-schedule-premier-league-la-liga-serie-a-ligue-1/dryqyalwdjryz31jhpx7n494" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">disrupted club lineups</a>&nbsp;in other countries. FIFA’s decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar has drawn controversy due to the country’s human rights record, and after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/29/football/qatar-world-cup-migrant-worker-deaths-spt-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scores of migrant workers</a>&nbsp;died while working on World Cup-related construction projects. Qatar and FIFA officials have also been accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/11/18/1137204271/qatar-world-cup-controversies" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bribery and corruption</a>&nbsp;in voting to hold the tournament in the country.



<h2>FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattcraig/2022/11/19/the-money-behind-the-most-expensive-world-cup-in-history-qatar-2022-by-the-numbers/?sh=7f2bbfddbff5">The Money Behind The Most Expensive World Cup In History: Qatar 2022 By The Numbers</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/11/30/heres-how-much-us-soccer-players-will-make-from-the-world-cup-based-on-stage-of-elimination/?sh=41ebbe0157b1">Here’s How Much U.S. Soccer Players Will Make From The World Cup Based On How Far They Go</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/11/29/us-beats-iran-advances-to-world-cup-round-of-16/?sh=740f18cd7e54">U.S. Beats Iran—Advances To World Cup Round Of 16</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



By Carlie Porterfield, Forbes Staff

Mexico v Poland: Group C – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

First All-Female Referee Team Planned For World Cup—Here Are The Other Records Set In Qatar

It is often said that women’s football will not develop and grow until teams are given more international fixtures to play, and Zambia’s Copper Queens are the shining example of this. One of their current stars is goal-scoring midfielder Ireen Lungu.



ZAMBIAN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL HAS SEEN A meteoric rise in the last 12 months, culminating in the country’s first-ever qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup that will be staged in Australia and New Zealand.



The side is reaping the reward of their own hard work, but also the exposure they gained to the international stage when they managed to qualify for the Olympic Games held in Tokyo last year. It is often said that women’s football will not develop and grow until teams are given more international fixtures to play, and Zambia’s Copper Queens are the shining example of this. One of their current stars is goal-scoring midfielder Ireen



Lungu, who played every minute at the Olympics and followed that up by playing all six games as Zambia took the bronze medal at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and in doing so qualified for the World Cup.



She paints a picture of a side who were fearful to play on the international stage, but have gained confidence with every outing they have had.



“The Olympics was where it started, that experience we had, and we carried that into the WAFCON and gained even more from that tournament,” Lungu tells FORBES AFRICA.



“We came up against some great players and that took our confidence to another level again.



“But the Olympics’ experience was tough. Many of us had never played against white people before, but after the first game, where we lost 10-3 to Netherlands, that actually boosted our confidence. It sounds strange, but it did.



“We could see the level and felt that we could go higher ourselves. In every game after that we improved and that 



removed the fear we had from every player. It turned into a great tournament in terms of helping us to grow and improve.



“If I look at how we have progressed from before then, we sometimes struggled to display our best football but now we have a lot of players who have competed at the highest level.



“Everyone [back home] now wants to compete and be part of the national team, which makes for greater competition among players.”



That was not the only highlight for Zambian football. Lungu’s club Green Buffaloes recently qualified for the CAF Women’s Champions League in Morocco later this year, and in doing so beat current African champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who had a star-studded line-up.



It is yet more continental exposure for Zambian football.



“We were so happy to beat Mamelodi Sundowns, they are a good team with quality players compared to what our clubs have back in Zambia,” Lungu says. “That’s because in South Africa there are many sponsors [for women’s football] compared to what we have at home.



“That is starting to change, there is sponsorship coming in and now it is up to everyone to show that improvement and why corporates should invest in women’s football.”



Lungu says the changing face of the game in Zambia is pleasing, as is the multitude of opportunities offered to young girls compared to when she started out and was forced to play in boys’ teams.



Though she credits that for her rapid development.



“I started playing in 2007 when I was still in Primary School. I used to play with the boys there. There was no girls’ teams where I was staying back then so I was very used to playing with and against boys. That was my only choice,” she says.



“When there was the chance to play with girls, I actually found it very hard to do so because all I had known to that point was playing with boys. It was a big adjustment. I tried to find a better team with girls who knew how to play football. I found the standard too low.”



She also admits to the fact that, certainly 15 years ago, attitudes towards women playing the sport were not as they are today.



“It was quite tough because where we come from the parents don’t want to allow you to go and play [if you are a girl], so it was very hard for me. But I had to stand up for myself and say, ‘this is what I want and nothing will stop me from playing’.



“I am where I am today because of determination and discipline. I am also a very hard-working player.”



She will hope a positive showing at the World Cup puts her in line for a contract abroad, and with it the chance to go fully professional as a footballer.



“That’s the thing now I am pushing for now. I don’t want to be in my country anymore, I want to go and play in new leagues. That is a big ambition of mine and something I have to work extra hard towards,” she says.



“I would like to go to any country as long as there is competition, but Spain looks like a good option. I want to compete with great players so that I can improve my own level.”

Zambia v Netherlands – Tokyo 2020 Olympic Football Tournament

Now Time For Zambian Football And Its Top Female Players 

It’s FORBES AFRICA’s 11th birthday, and we have rounded up a team of 11 stellar African footballers who we believe have been the best from the African continent since 2011.



By Nick Said 



<h2 id="h-goalkeeper">GOALKEEPER</h2>



Édouard Mendy (Senegal) The 30-year-old gloveman was a late starter and playing Ligue 2 football in France just four years ago before a meteoric rise that has seen him become arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. He has been instrumental in Senegal’s recent success.



<h2>RIGHT-BACK</h2>



Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1441763055.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-56879" width="277" height="415" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1441763055.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1441763055-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 277px) 100vw, 277px" /><figcaption>r. (Photo by Oliver Hardt &#8211; FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Hakimi is only 23 but has already played for Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and current club Paris St Germain, where he is a teammate of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. Not many other footballers can say that. A set-piece specialist, he brings goals from the full-back position.



<h2>CENTRE-BACK</h2>



Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal) Koulibaly has recently made the switch from Napoli to Chelsea after eight years in Naples, where he was considered among the best defenders in Italy’s Serie A. The 31-year-old has been crucial in back-to-back World Cup qualifications for Senegal, as well as their recent Africa Cup of Nations triumph.



<h2>CENTRE-BACK</h2>



Medhi Benatia (Morocco) Benatia has retired but spent a decade in the Morocco national team and played for such great clubs as Roma, Juventus and Bayern Munich, though he is perhaps best known for his stay with Udinese. He won three league titles in Italy and two in Germany. 



<h2>LEFT-BACK</h2>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1217751780.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-56880" width="470" height="636" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1217751780.jpg 757w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1217751780-222x300.jpg 222w" sizes="(max-width: 470px) 100vw, 470px" /><figcaption>(Photo by Marco Luzzani &#8211; Inter/Inter via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Kwadwo Asamoah (Ghana) Although he can play in midfield or defence, he spent much of his career at left-back, which included over 100 appearances for Juventus and a successful spell with Inter Milan. He played more than 350 times in Serie A and won the championship on six occasions to make him one of the most decorated Ghanaian players of all time.



<h2>RIGHT-MIDFIELD</h2>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1244645926.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-56881" width="570" height="380" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1244645926.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1244645926-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1244645926-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 570px) 100vw, 570px" /><figcaption> (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt &#8211; AMA/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast) Toure was not just one of the best in Africa during his playing days, but also a global great during his time with Barcelona and Manchester City. Tall and imposing, he also had great skill and vision and could dominate games all on his own. He was part of the Ivorian Golden Generation and helped them to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2015. He is a four-time African Footballer of the Year winner, a joint record number with Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o.



<h2>CENTRAL MIDFIELD</h2>



Thomas Partey (Ghana) Partey has been a star for Ghana since 2016 having come through the ranks at Spanish LaLiga side Atletico Madrid, who he helped win the UEFA Europa League in 2018 having lost out in the final of the Champions League two years before. He is now with Arsenal and will be a huge player for Ghana at the World Cup in Qatar.



<h2>LEFT MIDFIELD</h2>



Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) Mahrez usually occupies the right midfield position, but we have moved him to the left in our team. He shot to prominence at Leicester City, who he helped to win the Premier League in 2015/16 – still one of the greatest sporting stories of all time. He has since joined Manchester City and added three more league title wins, while he guided Algeria to Africa Cup of Nations success in 2019.



<h2>RIGHT FORWARD</h2>



Mo Salah (Egypt) Salah was viewed as something of a failure in his early career at Chelsea, but a loan move to Roma in Italy helped ignite his career, which went into over-drive when he joined Liverpool in 2017. He has been among the best forwards in the world since and helped the Anfield club to their first league title in 30 years, as well as the UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup. Missing from his trophy cabinet is the Africa Cup of Nations after he was runner-up with Egypt in 2017 AND 2021. He has twice won African Footballer of the Year.



<h2>CENTRE-FORWARD</h2>



Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon) Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba were coming to the end of their careers just as our eligibility period starts, so the centreforward role goes to Gabon’s Aubameyang, who has been a lethal forward in France, Germany, England and Spain for the last 11 years. Up to the start of the 2022/23 season, he had scored more than 300 goals in Europe and was named African Footballer of the Year in 2015.



<h2>LEFT FORWARD</h2>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1439033300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-56882" width="577" height="385" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1439033300.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1439033300-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1439033300-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 577px) 100vw, 577px" /><figcaption>(Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


Sadio Mané (Senegal) Mane is arguably the hottest property in Africa right now and at the peak of his powers, both for club and country. He Helped Senegal to the Africa Cup of Nations title in February and followed that up with a beating Salah’s Egypt for a place at the World Cup in Qatar. He took the bold step of leaving Liverpool for Bayern Munich at the start of the 2022/23 campaign but hit the ground running and has continued to bang in the goals in the Bundesliga. He is the reigning African Footballer of the Year, having also won in 2019.

Senegal Portraits – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Big-Hitters! Some Of Africa’s Best Footballers

<h2 id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



The U.S. men&#8217;s team returns to the World Cup for the first time since 2014 this week as games begin in Qatar — here&#8217;s how much American players are set to earn (spoiler: it gets really interesting only if the team pulls off historic upsets) and how that compares with some other competing countries.



<h2>KEY FACTS</h2>



Most of the prize money depends on where the teams finish at the World Cup: FIFA, the event organizer, will dole out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/news/fifa-president-welcomes-participants-to-team-seminar" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$440 million</a>&nbsp;to the 32 national teams, including $9 million each to the 16 teams eliminated at the group stage, $13 million to teams knocked out in the round of 16, followed by escalating amounts that culminate with $30 million to the runner-up and $42 million to the winner.



Each national soccer federation determines how to divvy up that money, but the U.S. payout is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2022/05/cba-fact-sheet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">already set by a collective-bargaining agreement</a>&nbsp;— and part of the money will go to the U.S. women’s team, even though they’re not playing in the tournament.



The 23 members of the U.S. men’s national team will receive a $10,000 stipend for every game in Qatar, while 90% of whatever FIFA bonus they earn will be distributed equally among the 46 members of the men’s and women’s teams.



That’s a guaranteed payday of $206,000 for each men’s player should the U.S. bow out after its three group stage matches and $822,000 if they win it all.



Considering oddsmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/fifa-world-cup?tab=team-futures" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">give</a>&nbsp;the U.S. the 20th-best chance at winning the World Cup out of 32 teams, expect the payout to be on the lower end of the spectrum.



<h3>U.S. World Cup Payday Outpaces Peers&nbsp;</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Country</th><th scope="col">Max Player Payout</th><th scope="col">Implied Title Odds</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th scope="row">USA</th><td>$822,000</td><td>0.7%</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Denmark</th><td>$688,000</td><td>3.6%</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Australia</th><td>$680,000</td><td>0.2%</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Germany</th><td>$415,000</td><td>7.7%</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">South Korea</th><td>$390,000</td><td>0.4%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption>Odds courtesy of FanDuel SportsBook </figcaption></figure>



<h2>SOUTH KOREA</h2>



By comparison, South Korea awarded each player a roughly $15,000 bonus for making the team and will pay them about $23,000 for each win and about $8,000 for each draw, team spokesperson Jay Ahn told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;in emailed comments. Players will also receive $76,000 bonuses for advancing past the group stage and $150,000 in bonuses for reaching the quarterfinals, for a total of about $390,000 should the Korean team miraculously win all of its matches.



<h2>GERMANY</h2>



German players will earn bonuses of about $415,000 with a World Cup championship, team spokesperson Franziska Wülle told&nbsp;Forbes, with a roughly $52,000 bonus per player should Germany make it to the round of 16.



<h2>DENMARK</h2>



Denmark’s players earn a bonus of $124,000 for making the team and can take home as much as $688,000 should the team win it all,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spillerforeningen.dk/artikel/herrelandsholdet-donerer-25-millioner-af-deres-vm-bonus-til-bornefodbolden" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the Danish players association’s website.



<h2>AUSTRALIA</h2>



Australian players get a roster bonus of about $150,000 and split a 50% share of any further prize money, putting total potential compensation at about $680,000, according to a report in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/world-cup-qualification-set-to-net-socceroos-fa-17m-pay-day-20220614-p5atnr.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sydney Morning-Herald</a>.



<h2>SENEGAL</h2>



Perhaps no compensation will top the unique bonus Senegalese players&nbsp;<a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/senegal/story/4589814/afcon-senegal-players-gifted-landmoney-as-reward-for-beating-egypt" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">earned</a>&nbsp;for qualifying for the World Cup by winning the Africa Cup of Nations in February. Each player received a $87,000 cash prize and 700 square meters of land in the country’s capital Dakar and its suburbs.



<h2>KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



U.S. Soccer’s unique pay structure, awarding some of the prize money from Qatar to its women’s team, comes after the yearslong high-profile labor dispute over the higher pay for the American men’s team despite the women’s team’s long history of outshining the men on the international stage. FIFA’s controversial decision to tap Qatar as the site of the 2022 World Cup a decade ago allegedly came after FIFA took bribes from the Qatari government. The decision remains highly contentious, with the disgraced former head of FIFA calling the Qatar selection a “mistake”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/11/08/qatar-is-a-mistake-ex-fifa-head-says-heres-why-the-2022-world-cup-is-mired-in-controversy/?sh=52f3bfc83b1e">last week</a>. Critics point to the country’s lack of human rights for certain groups—homosexuality is illegal and women need permission from male guardians to drive or travel abroad—though efforts to boycott the tournament did not pick up much steam. Qatar spent at least&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportico.com/business/finance/2022/world-cup-economics-qatar-record-spending-1234694134/#:~:text=Media%20accounts%20indicate%20Qatar%20has,the%20one%20stadium%20they%20renovated." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$220 billion</a>&nbsp;on the World Cup, making it by far the most expensive World Cup ever.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/23/revealed-migrant-worker-deaths-qatar-fifa-world-cup-2022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thousands</a>&nbsp;of migrant worker deaths are linked to the massive construction undertaken for the tournament.



<h2>FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2022/11/14/the-2022-fifa-mens-world-cup-by-the-numbers/?sh=56e420fd2c25">The 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup: By The Numbers</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/justinbirnbaum/2022/11/18/the-2022-world-cups-highest-paid-players/?sh=705ca3a81d2c">The 2022 World Cup’s Highest-Paid Players</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/11/08/qatar-is-a-mistake-ex-fifa-head-says-heres-why-the-2022-world-cup-is-mired-in-controversy/?sh=52f3bfc83b1e">&#8216;Qatar Is A Mistake,&#8217; Ex-FIFA Head Says: Here&#8217;s Why The 2022 World Cup Is Mired In Controversy</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



By Derek Saul, Forbes Staff

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Official Emblem Unveiled

Here’s How Much Players Countries Could Stand To Earn From The World Cup

The 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year will see Zambia and South Africa participate with big hopes hinged on their performance.



BY NICK SAID



If there is one thing the coaches of South Africa and Zambia are in agreement on, it is that the hard work starts now as they prepare for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year.



The draw for the 32-team finals competition was held a few weeks ago, and has not been particularly kind to the two southern African nations.



Debutants Zambia have been paired with Spain, Japan and Costa Rica in Group C, no easy task, but coach Bruce Mwape knows that however they do, the symbolism of seeing the Copper Queens on the global stage is perhaps the important thing.



“There are no easy teams in women’s football at the moment,” Mwape says. “For us, it’s just important to be there, especially as this is our first time.



“The whole country is behind us, supporting the team, and our achievements recently show that there has been a lot of improvement in Zambian football.”



He is correct. The Zambian national side won their first COSAFA senior title in 2022, while the country’s top club Green Buffaloes won the COSAFA Women’s Champions League as well.



These are all big steps forward for the game in Zambia and a major reason why they find themselves at the World Cup too.



Mwape has certainly improved their performance drastically, as has forward Barbra Banda, who was a star of the Olympic Games in Tokyo last year and could have a huge impact at the World Cup.



For South Africa, this competition will be second time round after they had their maiden World Cup qualification in France in 2019.



The core of that group remains in place and as recently-crowned African champions, there will be much expectation that they get out of their pool.



But the draw has not been kind, they face top sides Sweden, Italy and Argentina, with certainly the first two formidable foes. Coach Des Ellis is putting on a brave face.



“I think it’s a reasonable draw,” she said. “We’ve played Sweden before but we haven’t met Italy and Argentina. My feeling is that it could have been tougher.



“Now the planning and preparation starts, making sure the players have as much information as they can.”



The World Cup will be staged from July 20 to August 20, with South Africa canvassing hard to be the hosts of the 2027 tournament. The women’s competition has never been held on the African continent before.

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Qualifier: South Africa v Ethiopia

Big Steps Forward For Women’s Football In These Southern African Nations

The lure of judo is odd as it is an incredibly painful sport but South African Judoka Michaela Whitebooi has found gold medal success, and is looking forward to the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.



By Nick Said



MICHAELA WHITEBOOI’S GOLD MEDAL AT the 2022 Commonwealth Games was a reward for years of pain and toil on the judo mat, but she is already thinking of her next goal at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.



Whitebooi won gold in the 48-kilogram category, but despite



her diminutive size, is a born fighter who had to make up for the disappointment of a first round exit at the Tokyo Olympics last year.



Raised in Booysen Park in Gqeberha, South Africa, she started judo at the age of 10 after a friend invited her to training, and won a place at the TuksSport High School in Pretoria, the country’s capital.



“I was 14 years old and my mom traveled with me, but then had to leave a few days before the school opened,” Whitebooi tells FORBES AFRICA from her training base in Budapest.



“That was devastating for me, I was crying the whole time. I honestly can’t tell you how I survived, though the next year two or three of my friends came, including one boy from my judo club [in Gqeberha].



“So that made it easier, I had people that were familiar to me and I could hang around them. The first year I was so alone.”



Whitebooi says the lure of judo is odd as it is an incredibly painful sport.



“I don’t know what it really is. It is really painful falling and you know when you go to training you are going to feel that pain. But the judo mat also makes you feel you are in a happy place.”



She is trained by Bulgarian Nikola Filipov, who has helped to shape her career, even if first impressions were not promising.



“He was my coach at the TuksSport High School, so I have been with him since 2010,” she explains. “I met him the first day there. It was quite scary, he is a rough guy with a hard face. And he was looking at me like, ‘are you really a judo player, you are so tiny?’



“When he was told that I was there at the school for judo, he started laughing at me! But from that time we grew a strong relationship. It’s a powerful team.”



Whitebooi found gold medal success at the All-Africa Games, but had a stroke of bad luck when she was drawn against the reigning Olympic champion Paula Pareto in the first round in Tokyo and lost.



“I had Covid-19 in March 2021 and didn’t think I would go to the Olympics because I missed out on qualifying competitions. I was not scared to fight her and I learned a lot in those few minutes I was on the mat.”



Whitebooi took that experience into the Commonwealth Games and beat Shushila Likmabam in the final.



“I was very confident about the Commonwealth Games and thought Ihadagoodchancetobeonthe podium. I pushed myself as much as I could, there was a big shift in my mind and I really believed in myself.”



She says Paris 2024 will likely be her last major competition and, having thought about quitting after Tokyo, is putting all her efforts into going out on a high.



“I’ve put a lot of years into judo and after Tokyo I had to really think about whether I wanted to come back for another four years, rather than a life I could have outside [the sport] and make more money and build a family,” she says.



“Paris 2024 will probably be where I end my competitive judo. I will always want to give back to the sport and help the younger generation. But there is also a point where your body tells you that you must give up because I’m crying every single day!”



As for life after the sport, she is well set and says she is “very much looking forward” to building a career.



“Since a young age I was very invested in my schoolwork. I made sure my grades were good. My first degree was financial science and then I did my honours in internal auditing. I then did a post- graduate [degree] in entrepreneurship. I can’t wait to see what is possible for me out there.”

2022 Commonwealth Games, Day 4: Judo (Gallo Images)

The Good Fight By An African Judoka 

<h2 id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



The controversial former boss of FIFA decried the organization awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar as a “bad choice” Tuesday, citing human rights issues in the country, adding to a growing chorus of criticism before the tournament kicks off later this month.



<h2>KEY FACTS</h2>



“Qatar is a mistake,” former FIFA president Sepp Blatter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/qatar-is-mistake-says-former-fifa-president-sepp-blatter-2022-11-08/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;Swiss newspaper&nbsp;Tages-Anzeiger, according to Reuters, saying the Middle Eastern country roughly the same size and population as Connecticut is “too small” for the event, noting the selection did not take “social considerations and human rights” into account, according to Reuters’ translation.



The upcoming World Cup has been a hot-button issue since FIFA selected the host under Blatter’s watch in 2012, chief among the issues Qatar’s treatment of workers constructing stadiums for the event.



Rights groups including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/05/03/no-dignity-and-pride-world-cup-labor-abuses" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Human Rights Watch</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2016/03/qatar-world-cup-of-shame/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amnesty International</a>&nbsp;have denounced the ”appalling living conditions” for workers bordering on “modern slavery,” and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/23/revealed-migrant-worker-deaths-qatar-fifa-world-cup-2022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thousands of worker deaths</a>have been associated with the massive construction project.



Also causing a stir are the country’s stance on social issues: Homosexuality&nbsp;<a href="https://www.humandignitytrust.org/country-profile/qatar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">is a crime</a>&nbsp;in Qatar, and women have<a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/qatar" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;limited rights</a>, needing a male guardian’s approval to drive or leave the country.



Though organizers&nbsp;<a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/at-qatars-world-cup-lgbtq-fans-are-supposedly-welcome-but-still-afraid-163049856.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">have assured</a>&nbsp;LGBT fans they won’t face discrimination, the outcry escalated Monday after a Qatari World Cup ambassador&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-entertainment-soccer-sports-qatar-ed44b144cd5f1373a6d09efd7f979d0f?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_10" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;gay people have “damage in the mind.”



<h2>KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Drama has also followed this World Cup inside of the stadium: This will be the first such tournament to take place in winter due to Qatar’s extreme summer heat, and the fan experience will be modified as well – public drunkenness is a crime in the country, and World Cup venues&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/2022-world-cup-in-qatar-to-have-sobering-up-areas-for-drunken-fans/#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20nation%20has%20relaxed,be%20released%20with%20a%20warning." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">will feature</a>areas for inebriated fans to sober up to avoid jail time.&nbsp;FIFA selected Qatar to host this year’s World Cup 10 years ago under the watch of Blatter, who was banned from FIFA in 2015 after the Department of Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/nine-fifa-officials-and-five-corporate-executives-indicted-racketeering-conspiracy-and" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">went public</a>with allegations of widespread corruption at the organization. Last year, U.S. prosecutors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/sports/soccer/qatar-and-russia-bribery-world-cup-fifa.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accused</a>&nbsp;FIFA officials of accepting bribes to award Qatar the tournament.



<h2>CHIEF CRITIC</h2>



“Qatar’s reforms are too little, too late and have major gaps,” Minky Worden, Human Rights Watch’s director of global initiatives, said in a statement last week about the country’s recent efforts to ease concerns about worker conditions.&nbsp;



<h2>FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/why-qatar-is-a-controversial-venue-for-2022-world-cup/2022/10/19/d5f11b50-4fa2-11ed-ada8-04e6e6bf8b19_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why Qatar Is a Controversial Venue for 2022 World Cup</a>&nbsp;(Washington Post)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/samindrakunti/2022/10/31/qatar-world-cup-comes-with-human-rights-abuses-and-controversy/?sh=7b51ec851657">Qatar World Cup Comes With Human Rights Abuses And Controversy</a>(Forbes)



By Derek Saul, Forbes Staff

Iranian football team introduces World Cup Jersey

‘Qatar Is A Mistake,’ Ex-FIFA Head Says: Here’s Why The 2022 World Cup Is Mired In Controversy￼

The biggest headache for South Africa coach Mark Boucher ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia starting in October is not who to bring into his squad, but rather who to leave out.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large">“We did give a couple of opportunities to guys to see what they can do, and they came good, which is great for us to see.”</blockquote>



Boucher’s side has won 18 of their last 21 completed internationals in the shortest format, a remarkable run of consistency, and are arguably the form side going into the global competition.



They must still travel to India for three games in late September, which could shape their thinking further, but Boucher admits there will be some very tough calls ahead of the World Cup.



&#8220;It&#8217;s a good headache to have when there are so many guys vying for positions with a World Cup around the corner,&#8221; he said. &#8220;There is great competition in the squad at the moment and in quite a few positions as well.



“We did give a couple of opportunities to guys to see what they can do, and they came good, which is great for us to see. It&#8217;s a very healthy place for South African cricket to be in.&#8221;



The squad that won the recent series in England and against Ireland has a settled look to it, but whiteball captain Temba Bavuma must still return from injury, while premier fast bowler Kagiso Rabada is another to be added to the list.



The emergence of a young batting star from nowhere like Tristan Stubbs is an unexpected gift to the side.



Boucher says that competition and the fear that someone else is ready to take your place is necessary for the team.



&#8220;When you have guys coming in and performing, there is no space for (other) guys to rest. It keeps players challenging for selection, and that can only push them to different heights.”



South Africa have been drawn with a trio of sub-continent sides in Group 2 at the World Cup and will take on India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as two qualifiers who must still earn their place at the tournament. 



By Nick Said

England & South Africa Net Sessions

‘A Very Healthy Place For South African Cricket To Be In’: Mark Boucher Ahead Of T20 World Cup

The 20- and 50-over versions of the sport have taken over the global cricket calendar and all the signs are that is set to continue, as that’s where the money lies, experts say.



By NICK SAID



TEST CRICKET IS THE PUREST FORM OF THE sport and the ultimate examination of skill, but there are signs that the five-day game could soon become an afterthought in the annals of history as the limited overs formats take center-stage.



Faster and perhaps better suited to a broader television audience, which in turn appeals to sponsors and advertisers, the 20- and 50-over versions of the sport have taken over the global cricket calendar and all the signs are that is set to continue in the future.



It is less of an issue for the so-called ‘Big Three’ of the world game, India, England and Australia, but as money talks, the trio are likely to play more five-day cricket among themselves and leave the likes of South Africa, Pakistan, West Indies and even current test champions New Zealand out in the increasing cold.



By mid-2022, England had played 24 tests since the start of 2021 and India 19. South Africa had featured in just 12. This is not a snapshot in isolation, a look at the upcoming tours calendar over the next few years suggests this is a situation that will likely worsen.



In two of South Africa’s tests, against Bangladesh in April, they were without six first team players, including their entire first choice pace bowling attack, who had instead opted to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).



And the reasons are not too difficult to understand.



Players can earn five to 10 times their annual Cricket South Africa contract for eight weeks’ work at the IPL. It is a no-brainer. And that is just one of the lucrative T20 leagues, there are many others.



And here-in lies the crux. The riches that have flowed into the shortest format in the last decade means young cricketers entering the game prioritize that format over test cricket.



We are headed towards a future where young players will look to play only the limited overs stuff and not bother with the first-class game.



“I’ve got a lot of friends where their young boys are just concerned with one day getting an IPL contract,” former South Africa test great Allan Donald tells FORBES AFRICA. “They talk about what it is like being in the IPL. I think the new generation of kids who genuinely love the game see big money and their future in white ball cricket.



“Even those young players now in first class cricket, you hear them talk about it being an opportunity to throw their name into the hat and get a contract at the IPL. You don’t hear them talking much about test cricket.



“There is no doubt about it, in general today’s young kids are driven to make a career out of limited overs cricket rather than tests. It is now a world where technique does not matter and it is just ‘see ball, hit ball’.”



Donald is one of the greatest fast bowlers to have played



the game and was a cornerstone of the South African side that were readmitted to the international game in 1991.



He is currently the bowling coach of Bangladesh but has worked around the world and has seen firsthand the changes in the modern game.



“For me, test cricket is still 100 percent the number one format,” he says. “For the other nations (outside of the Big Three), it is a major worry. It really is a concern for me that other teams are battling to play as much test cricket as the big guys.



“It is also a concern that South Africa are not running parallel with the big dogs in terms of the volume of test cricket that the country used to play. It has dipped significantly.



“But there is no question about it, after speaking to already established players, there are many who would simply rather play the shortened version of the game because that’s where the money lies.



“If I just take Bangladesh, our next test is in five months’ time. But our players should be playing a lot more to develop their skills and gain that experience against the top teams. But there is just so much white ball stuff happening around the world.”



South Africa’s former director of cricket Graeme Smith, the most successful captain in test history, has been beating this drum for some time now.



“I don’t think world cricket wants ( just) three nations competing against each other in 10 years’ time,” Smith says. “How does that benefit the game? It doesn’t. That will then amplify the (T20) leagues and they will just get bigger and bigger.”



In the first decade of the 21st century, South Africa played 108 tests. In the second it was 90. The third will not get near that unless there is a change in thinking.



The West Indies played 25 fewer tests in the second decade compared to the first.



“I’ve thought for a long time that we’re probably going to finish up with the eight major nations playing test cricket,” former Australia test great Ian Chappell told ‘ABC’ last year. “But even now I’m not so sure it’s going to come down to eight because it’s become a pretty expensive exercise and a lot of countries just don’t have the money.



“I’d like to see a fund set up and funded by (limited overs) cricket tournaments where the funds are set aside to help out countries who are struggling to keep going in test cricket.”



South Africa are slated to play eight tests over the next 15 months from August, though that is subject to change.



Three each in England and Australia, and two at home versus the West Indies.



It is not a lot to inspire a new generation.

Conceptual cricket shot

Is Test Cricket Dying? And Where Does That Leave African Players?

Thanks to Saudi Arabia’s bottomless well of petrodollars, LIV Golf has boosted the earnings of the top ten golfers by an estimated $370 million since June, bringing their combined haul to a record $650 million over the last 12 months.



<abbr>T</abbr>he breakaway&nbsp;LIV Golf tour, which is owned by Saudi Arabia’s $620 billion (assets) sovereign wealth fund, is many things. It’s faster than the PGA Tour, with a 54-hole (“LIV” in Roman numerals) format played over three days. It’s louder, with music blaring before tee-off. It’s less frequent, with one-sixth as many events. But mostly it’s richer. LIV Golf is about money. Piles and piles of it.



The government of Saudi Arabia is pumping an estimated $2.4 billion into LIV over the next couple of seasons to get the league off the ground, a big chunk of which is to lure top talent. In total, LIV has boosted the earnings of the ten highest-paid golfers by an estimated $370 million since May, bringing their combined haul to a record $650 million.



“I wanted to be a part of something from the ground up,” says Bryson DeChambeau, who won the U.S. Open in 2020 as a 27-year-old and joined LIV in June. “The resources, the time, the rest and then the enjoyment factor were why I was able to make that jump and wanted to make that jump.”



The downside? No more PGA Tour, no more Players Championships and no more international competition in the Ryder Cup. Like all other PGA Tour defectors, DeChambeau had his membership suspended. But the Saudi-backed golfers should still be able to compete in the Masters and golf’s three other majors, none of which are run by the PGA Tour.



Sure. But it probably helps that he’s likely getting north of $125 million as a guarantee from LIV, half of which Forbes estimates he received upfront. That $62 million payment has propelled DeChambeau to No. 3 among the world’s highest-paid golfers, with total pretax earnings of $86 million over the past 12 months—and ranks him as the 11th-highest-paid athlete on the planet, ahead of Tom Brady.



Two-time major winner Dustin Johnson, who finished tied for sixth at the British Open at St. Andrews this month, did even better than DeChambeau. The 38-year-old pro from South Carolina, who is married to Wayne Gretzky’s daughter Paulina, pocketed $97 million in the last year, including an estimated $62 million signing bonus from LIV in May. The Saudi money makes Johnson the fifth-highest-paid athlete in the world. It was an easy choice, he says: “Play less golf, play for more money—it just made sense.”



The biggest winner of all? Phil Mickelson. With six majors and 45 PGA Tour wins under his belt, the second-most-accomplished golfer of his generation was one of the first to voice support for the new tour. Back in February, he was vilified (and took a subsequent break from playing) after seeming to dismiss Saudi Arabia’s human-rights record in exchange for a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.” Several sponsors dropped him. But what does he care? LIV more than made up for it, guaranteeing Mickelson an estimated $200 million, half of which he likely got upfront. In all, the 52-year-old pulled in $138 million in the past year, making him the world’s highest-paid athlete in 2022, edging out soccer superstar Lionel Messi (<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brettknight/2022/05/11/the-worlds-10-highest-paid-athletes-2022/">$130 million</a>).



There are risks. LIV Golf has no major U.S. broadcast partner and barely any event sponsors. The LIV-curious are forced to watch on YouTube. And the tour is incinerating cash. There are limited revenues, and in addition to the enormous signing bonuses and multimillion-dollar-per-event production budgets, LIV has guaranteed $255 million in prize money for 2022. In 2023, that will expand to $405 million for 14 events. “Just like any startup, you’ve got a burn rate, and whether it was, heck, Amazon or Uber or whatever, they’re all burning certain cash up until they reach the point of profitability,” says LIV Golf president and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers executive Atul Khosla.



The PGA Tour isn’t sitting still. In June, it raised the prize purses of eight tournaments by a collective $53.8 million, with the Players Championship rising to $25 million. On the flip side, the PGA Tour’s hard line against giving its members permission to participate in LIV events has triggered a Department of Justice antitrust investigation.



One golfer who refuses to play LIV’s game: Tiger Woods. LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, known as the Great White Shark during his Hall of Fame playing career, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/06/05/last-attack-greg-norman/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told the Washington Post</a> that Woods rejected a “mind-blowingly enormous” offer in the “high nine digits” from LIV. That decision knocked Woods, who was once the world’s highest-paid athlete ten years running, into unfamiliar territory—he’s now just fifth among the highest-paid golfers, with total earnings of $68 million. He has no regrets. “I just don’t understand it,” he said ahead of the British Open. “I just don’t see how that move is positive in the long term for a lot of these players.”



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">#1.&nbsp;$138 mil</h4>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center">PHIL MICKELSON</h2>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">AGE: 52 | ON-COURSE: $102 mil • OFF-COURSE: $36 mil</h4>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="594" height="396" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GettyImages-1411839172.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-55789" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GettyImages-1411839172.jpg 594w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GettyImages-1411839172-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 594px) 100vw, 594px" /><figcaption> (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



Lefty crossed <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattcraig/2022/06/12/billion-dollar-ballers-these-athletes-tiger-woods-lebron-james-federer-messi-ronaldo-mayweather-have-earned-more-than-1-billion-apiece/">$1 billion in career earnings</a> thanks to his LIV deal. One of only a handful of players (including Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, Vijay Singh and Tom Watson) to earn a lifetime membership on the PGA Tour, Mickelson had that privilege suspended after he joined LIV.



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">#2.&nbsp;$97 mil</h4>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center">DUSTIN JOHNSON</h2>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">AGE: 38 | ON-COURSE: $68 mil • OFF-COURSE: $29 mil</h4>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GettyImages-1411889458.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-55790" width="469" height="302" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GettyImages-1411889458.jpg 594w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GettyImages-1411889458-300x193.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 469px) 100vw, 469px" /><figcaption>(Photo by Charles Laberge/LIV Golf via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



Now ranked No. 17 in the world, Johnson was the first star to jump to LIV in May, for an estimated $125 million. He cashed out his stake in Bodyarmor for an undisclosed sum in November. Sponsors Adidas and TaylorMade have stuck with him after he resigned from the PGA Tour.



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">#3.&nbsp;$86 mil</h4>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center">BRYSON DECHAMBEAU</h2>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">AGE:28 | ON-COURSE: $66 mil • OFF-COURSE: $20 mil</h4>



DeChambeau earned $560,000 from his first LIV event in July, nearly triple what he had earned in his seven prior tournaments in 2022.



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">#4.&nbsp;$69 mil</h4>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center">BROOKS KOEPKA</h2>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">AGE: 32 | ON-COURSE: $53 mil • OFF-COURSE: $16 mil</h4>



Koepka, who has won four majors and nurtures a fierce rivalry with DeChambeau, secured an estimated $100 million guarantee from LIV.



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">#5.&nbsp;$68 mil</h4>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center">TIGER WOODS</h2>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">AGE: 46 | ON-COURSE: $43,500 • OFF-COURSE: $68 mil</h4>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/gettyimages-1142682752-594x594.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-40860" width="524" height="349" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/gettyimages-1142682752-594x594.jpg 594w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/gettyimages-1142682752-594x594-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 524px) 100vw, 524px" /><figcaption> (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattcraig/2022/06/10/tiger-woods-officially-a-billionaire-no-thanks-to-the-saudis/">Golf’s only billionaire</a>, Woods has no need for Saudi money.



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">#6.&nbsp;$43 mil</h4>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center">RORY MCILROY</h2>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">AGE: 33 | ON-COURSE: $9 mil • OFF-COURSE: $34 mil</h4>



McIlroy has been vocal in his support of the PGA Tour, <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/golf/news/rory-mcilroy-talks-maintaining-his-love-for-golf-st-andrews-tiger-woods-and-his-softened-liv-golf-stance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">telling CBS</a> “there’s no room in the golf world for LIV Golf.” It may be paying off. Workday agreed to sponsor the Northern Irishman in February, the same month the software company announced it would not renew its deal with Mickelson.



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">#7.&nbsp;$42 mil</h4>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center">SERGIO GARCIA</h2>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">AGE: 42 | ON-COURSE: $35 mil • OFF-COURSE: $7 mil</h4>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GettyImages-1411845124.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-55791" width="652" height="354" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GettyImages-1411845124.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GettyImages-1411845124-300x163.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 652px) 100vw, 652px" /><figcaption>(Photo by Charles Laberge/LIV Golf via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



The Spaniard, the 2017 Masters champion, was part of the first wave to join the upstart Saudi tour.



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">#8.&nbsp;$39 mil</h4>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center">JORDAN SPIETH</h2>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">AGE: 29 | ON-COURSE: $8 mil • OFF-COURSE: $31 mil</h4>



The former world No. 1 reasserted his loyalty to the PGA Tour in July, saying, “Any reports that I am contemplating competing anywhere other than the PGA Tour are categorically untrue.” After signing a new deal, he will remain the face of Under Armour’s golf business through 2029.



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">#9.&nbsp;$37 mil</h4>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center">PATRICK REED</h2>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">AGE: 31 | ON-COURSE: $34 mil • OFF-COURSE: $3 mil</h4>



Reed starred for years in the Ryder Cup, earning him the nickname “Captain America.” Now ineligible for the biennial Europe vs. United States contest, he’s flying a new flag: The 31-year-old wore the LIV Golf logo on his hat, collar and sleeve at the British Open.



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">#10.&nbsp;$34 mil</h4>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center">CHARL SCHWARTZEL</h2>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">AGE: 37 | ON-COURSE: $30 mil • OFF-COURSE: $4 mil</h4>



In 2011, Schwartzel won $1.4 million in prize money at the Masters, his first and only major championship win. The South African’s victory at LIV’s inaugural London event in June landed him more than triple that sum.



METHODOLOGY: This year’s list of the world’s highest-paid golfers tracks earnings between July 3, 2021, and July 3, 2022, to coincide with the completion of the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic and LIV Golf’s Portland Invitational. The on-course earnings figures include prize money and bonuses, as well as upfront payments for signing on with LIV Golf. Based on conversations with a dozen industry sources, Forbes estimates top-tier LIV players received half of their guarantees upfront while lower-tier players received smaller sums in bulk. The off-course earnings figures are an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees and memorabilia and licensing income for the 12 months leading to July 3, 2022, plus cash returns from any businesses in which the athlete has a significant interest. Bonuses from the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program are included in off-course income. Forbes does not include investment income such as interest payments or dividends but does account for payouts from equity stakes athletes have sold. Forbes does not deduct for taxes or agents’ fees.



By Justin Birnbaum, Forbes Staff Additional reporting by Brett Knight.

Male golfer putting on golf course

The World’s Highest-Paid Golfers 2022: LIV Golf Reshuffles Top Earners And Sends Pay Soaring

Tobi Amusan’s gold at the recent World Athletics Championships was a win not just for Nigeria but for Africa, says the 25-year-old.



For years, Nigerian-born Oluwatobiloba Amusan considered herself as the “almost girl”. She placed fourth at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha in 2019 and fourth again at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.



So, when on July 24 this year, she smashed the 100-meter women’s hurdles world record with an outstanding 12.12 seconds in the semi-finals and 12.06 for the finals, the ‘almost girl’ finally bagged a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon in the United States becoming the first world champion from Nigeria.



“I thank God for his blessing and for finally giving me the strength to come first place. I feel like this is a win not only for myself but also for Nigeria and Africa,” says Amusan.



She beat former record-holder Kendra Harrison’s 2016 record of 12.20 by 0.8 of a second.



“It was very competitive so the goal was to execute and survive to the finals and I thank God for keeping me healthy throughout the process,” says Amusan to FORBES AFRICA.



The 25-year-old sprinter was born in Ogun State in the Western part of Nigeria. She began her sports career as a soccer player until her coach decided she had a lot more potential for the track.



“I ended up beating all the best people in the team and that’s how I found my calling.”



That calling took her to the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) where she held several titles including the 60-meter indoor record, the 200-meter indoor record, the 100-meter hurdles as well as the 200-meter flat record.



In a statement conveyed by the special advisor to the president on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said on Amusan’s win: “The President joins millions of Nigerians in celebrating this outstanding feat by a compatriot and two-time African Games champion, who in one night stunned the athletics world with her superlative and stellar performance. The President thanks the track superstar for making the Nigerian national anthem resonate again from the international podium, leaving the nation with the excitement and unforgettable memories of tears of joy and triumph; hope and victory; incredulity and belief.”

World Athletics Championships Oregon22 – Day Ten

Nigerian Sprinter On Smashing Records In Stunning Feat At Oregon

In March, Evadnee Le Goff and Anita Musevenzo became the first all-women team to summit the highest mountains in South Africa’s nine provinces. In the rain, in the dark, in the freezing cold on those raw, rugged mountains, the two navigated treacherous terrain but stuck together.



ENDURANCE LESSONS ALWAYS go a long way in business – and in life.



And sometimes, you go beyond the boardrooms to find them.



South Africa’s Anita Musevenzo and Evadnee Le Goff found them on the peaks of the highest mountains in the country’s nine provinces, summitted all in one go.



And yet another high point of the 9 Peaks Challenge?



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220326_151237-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-55660" width="392" height="523" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220326_151237-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220326_151237-225x300.jpg 225w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220326_151237-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220326_151237-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220326_151237-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 392px) 100vw, 392px" /></figure></div>



They are the first all-female team to do so.



The mountains they summited were: the Iron Crown in Limpopo, De Berg in Mpumalanga, Nooitgedacht in the North West, Toringkop in Gauteng, Mafadi in KwaZulu-Natal, Namahadi in the Free State, KwaDuma in the Eastern Cape, Murch Point in the Northern Cape, and Seweweekspoort in the Western Cape.



Le Goff, an accountant in Johannesburg, has always been a hiker, whereas Musevenzo, a skincare formulator, has been hiking for six years, with a YouTube channel called ‘African Hiker’.



But more challenging than the mountain adventure was the training ahead of it, which included hours in the gym, walks during the week and hikes on the weekends on South Africa’s blessed and most times, tough terrain.



The training was intense.



“Anita and I cut our teeth on wilderness hiking. So all our experience is in dealing with awkward terrain that’s rocky. And you know, every footstep, you’re not sure where you’re landing and it stood us in good stead,” says Le Goff. Musevenzo describes the drama at Mafadi, a peak on the border of South Africa and Lesotho.



They slept on the escarpment because they didn’t get down before dark.



“So we get to the summit at about three o’clock in the afternoon. And now we’re hiking back. All is good. But the sun is setting and the sun sets fast on the mountain. It’s just dark suddenly.”



They came across a cliff they had not seen in the daylight, and the wind started picking up speed, eventually going up to 50 knots. They began hiking towards the pass.



“We arrive at the pass and we look down and it’s pitch black. And so I just thought to myself ‘nope, not happening, not going down there’,” she says.



At this point, Le Goff posits that either they get down the mountain or die of hypothermia. Musevenzo set off as cheerily as one could to find some reeds to settle in for the night and ward off the wind.



They used their backpacks to sleep on the damp grass, share a protein bar and settled down around 10PM. A survival blanket was the only thing they had to keep warm.



They waited for first light, periodically checking on each other, and set off in the morning again.



Together, they traversed the country and up its mountains as everyone else carried on with their daily lives. For them, each day was different as it unfolded new views and vistas about life.



“Some of it was also quite tragic, because there are sections in our country, especially the Eastern Cape, where I was really affected by the poverty and the social problems,” says Le Goff.



The duo also savored some beautiful moments; from taking in the variety of animal footprints on the river beds in the Northern Cape, to the locust swarms, the dusty back roads, as well as the two leopards they spotted.



At sunrise one morning, a kudu ran in front of their car.



Musevenzo says one of the best parts was the friendly community at the Drakensburg and the magical feeling of the whole area.



“We all know that the country is very diverse. But to see it all in one go and just see the change as you go from province to province, and also how the mountain changes even the Drakensberg; there are three provinces where the peak is on the Drakensburg, and all three of those are different,” she explains.



A particularly difficult moment for Le Goff was encountering the chain ladders at Tugela Falls.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220328_084224-1-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-55661" width="553" height="415" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220328_084224-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220328_084224-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220328_084224-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220328_084224-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220328_084224-1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 553px) 100vw, 553px" /></figure></div>



“There weren’t any moments where I felt overwhelmed. There were one or two, I’d say, going down the chain ladders, in the dark, in the rain, I think it was challenging for Anita as well, because I was definitely very reluctant. I was trying to negotiate my way out of something which was unavoidable. “We had no other way to get off this mountain. And I’m not a huge fan of those chain ladders, because they are really treacherous,” Le Goff says.



Musenvenzo distracted her by telling her stories about her goldfish. She distracted her on the way up by telling her the story of how the tortoise got its shell. 



They took turns looking after each other throughout the journey. One of the most challenging peaks was Seweweekspoort in the Western Cape. It was their last one. It was also one of Le Goff’s most memorable, for the raw ruggedness of the landscape.



“We were already so exhausted, and the terrain is very difficult. By then, we were physically and mentally so drained, it’s just a really rough climb to finish on,” says Le Goff.



“That would be the most challenging one for me too. I did not really enjoy Seweweekspoort. The mountain has teeth, and claws and nails,” adds Musevenzo.



The duo was supported by DecathlonSA, Garmin, Entsika Consulting, forever.fresh.foods and Racefood. After eight days, 22 hours and 42 minutes to complete the entire adventure, the women came home to Johannesburg with sore feet, but with full hearts and memories to last a lifetime – creating history along the way, one tough, treacherous peak at a time.

20220321_133831 2

Through Peaks and Troughs: Meet The First All-Women Team To Summit The Highest Mountains in South Africa’s Nine Provinces

By Nick Said 



The South African women’s cricket team makes a comeback at the 2022 Commonwealth Games for the first time since 1998, and have high hopes of winning gold. We speak to one of the world’s leading batters Laura Wolvaardt. Who else is making it?



THE 2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES TO BE staged in Birmingham, England from July 28 to August 8 was a missed opportunity for Africa away from the field of competition, but provides the continent’s athletes with the chance to win a prestigious gold medal and enhance their reputations on the global stage.



Durban in South Africa’s sunny KwaZulu-Natal province was initially chosen as the host of the Games in 2015 and set to be the first city in Africa to stage the event.



But when the South African government reportedly failed to provide the financial guarantees required by the organizers, they were stripped of the rights two years later.



And so athletes and fans from over 60 Commonwealth Games Associations will instead head for the English Midlands, including representation for 13 African countries. 



All will be dreaming of gold, not least the South African women’s cricket team as the sport makes a comeback at the Games for the first time since 1998.



On that occasion it was the South African men who took the title in a 50-over competition. This time it is only the women who will compete in the shorter 20-over format.



Fresh from a semifinal place at the recent Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand, South Africa have high hopes of winning gold again, according to one of the world’s leading batters Laura Wolvaardt.



“We had a couple of really tight games in New Zealand but played some good cricket and were obviously very disappointed to lose to England in the semifinals,” Wolvaardt tells FORBES AFRICA.



“The way we played in that game wasn’t a reflection of how well we did throughout the tournament. But in the long run, we’ll learn a lot from the experience.”



Wolvaardt, a stylish top-order batter with one of the best cover drives in the sport – men or women – believes South Africa are well- equipped to compete in the shorter 20-over format.



“Even though it’s a different format, I think most of our squad will stay pretty much the same. If you’re hitting the ball well it [form] will stay with you for the Commonwealth Games,” she says.



“I think we’re clicking well as a team. We have two series before the Games in Ireland and England, so hopefully we can use that time to have a good chat and be 100% ready for the competition.”



Conditions in England are likely to be similar to New Zealand, and that should suit South Africa, according to Wolvaardt.



“New Zealand has apparently the most similar conditions to England, outside of England. That’s a good thing for us and with the series in Ireland and England to come, we won’t have any excuses by the time we go to the Commonwealth Games. We’ll definitely be prepared.”



The Games field reads like a mini-World Cup, with most of the other leading women’s cricket nations present – hosts England, Australia, India, Pakistan and New Zealand.



“Australia are head and shoulders above the competition at the moment. We just need to find a way to bridge the gap between us as soon as we can,” Wolvaardt says.



“But T20 cricket is interesting because anyone can win on a given day with one outstanding individual performance. We have a really good group of senior players who’ve played for quite a long time. So a lot of our players are reaching their prime. That’s very exciting.



“I think for us it’s more the mental side of the game we need to work on.”



AFRICA AT THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES: ALL EYES ARE ON&#8230;



South Africa will also send teams in men’s and women’s hockey, netball, sevens rugby (men and women), as well as participants in the athletics events and swimming, among other disciplines.



Nigeria will be well represented too, especially in the weightlifting competition, including medal prospects Stella Kingsley, Adijat Olarinoye, Rafiatu Folashade Lawal and Joy Ogbonne Eze.



Ghana have qualified for a number of team sports, including hockey (men and women), beach volleyball (women), and they will also be represented in the badminton event.



Kenya will, of course, expect medals in the middle and long distance running events and have chosen three men and three women to compete in the marathon – Philemon Kacheran, Eric Kiptanui, Jonathan Korir, Stella Barsosio, Purity Changwony and Margaret Wangari.



With Ethiopia not at the Games, the Kenyans will feel they have a real chance of making a big impact.



Zambia are surprise qualifiers for the men’s rugby sevens event. They will join South Africa, Kenya and Uganda in the 16-team field, which also includes powerhouses Fiji and New Zealand.



Kgotla Kgaswane will represent Botswana in the men’s 55-kilograme weightlifting event, while teenage sprint sensation Letsile Tebogo is also hoping to be at the Games, fresh from his 100-meter gold medal at the World Junior Championships last year.



The men’s team from The Gambia will compete in the beach volleyball event, while experienced para powerlifter Modou Gamo will also be in Birmingham.



Para powerlifting is one of three sports at the Games for disabled athletes, with wheelchair basketball and table tennis the others.



Malawi will see themselves as outsiders for a medal in netball, though it is a heavyweight field of all the world’s leading teams, while Mauritius have three entrants in the weightlifting competition – Cédric Coret (Men&#8217;s 96kg), Roilya Ranaivosoa (Women&#8217;s 49kg) and Ketty Lent (Women&#8217;s 71kg).



Rwanda will compete in athletics and beach volleyball, and Seychelles will also have two women competing in the weightlifting – Clementina Agricole (59kg) and Romentha Larue (87kg).



Commonwealth Games’ organizers have also announced that e-sports will be included at Birmingham 2022 as a pilot event. Players will compete in Dota 2, eFootball and Rocket League events.

Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Medal Unveiling – The Roundhouse

AFRICA’S GAME IN BIRMINGHAM: The  Continent at the Commonwealth Games and Who All Eyes Will Be On…

<h2 id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Transgender rugby players will be barred from international women’s competitions while officials develop a formal inclusion policy, the sport’s international governing body&nbsp;<a href="https://www.intrl.sport/news/statement-on-transgender-particiption-in-women-s-international-rugby-league/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, the latest federation to ban transgender athletes as the sporting world tries to balance inclusion, fairness and safety.



<h2 id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The International Rugby League (IRL)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.intrl.sport/news/statement-on-transgender-particiption-in-women-s-international-rugby-league/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;it considered “several relevant developments in world sport” when making the decision, including the International Olympic Committee’s recent guidance that each sport should determine their policies governing the inclusion of transgender athletes.



The ban means trans athletes will be barred from competing in the women’s Rugby World Cup in October.



In explaining its decision, the IRL said it had a duty to balance the right to participate with the “perceived risk to other participants” and the body will undertake further research to finalize its inclusion policy in 2023.



The decision follows a vote on Sunday from FINA, swimming’s global governing body, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/annakaplan/2022/06/19/world-swimming-federation-bars-most-transgender-women-from-elite-competitions-but-weighs-open-competition-category/?sh=7860b0db65b9">bar the majority of trans women</a>&nbsp;from competing in elite events and comes amid reports that a number of other sporting federations are considering similar policies.



Lord Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, hinted on Monday that track and field could suit and bar trans athletes from women’s competitions, telling the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/61865789" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BBC</a>&nbsp;that “biology trumps gender” and “fairness is non-negotiable.”



FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/fifa-world-athletics-review-transgender-rules-after-swimmings-change-2022-06-20/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reuters</a>&nbsp;it is also reviewing its policies, though would not comment on specifics.



<h2 id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



The inclusion of trans people, especially trans women, in sport is a divisive and contentious issue that has troubled sporting federations for years. The IOC’s recommendation that individual sports handle the matter themselves means that rugby league and swimming are likely the frontrunners of many new policies. Not all policies will bar trans women from competing and cycling’s international governing body, which also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jun/16/cyclings-governing-body-sets-stricter-rules-for-transgender-athletes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">updated guidance</a>&nbsp;this month, tightened its eligibility criteria though did not bar athletes.



<h2 id="h-news-peg">NEWS PEG</h2>



Debates over trans inclusion in sport have recently flared in cases of trans success, notably the competition of New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, a trans woman, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/05/31/we-transition-to-be-happy-lia-thomas-pushes-back-against-detractors-of-transgender-athletes/?sh=bde61f8330c4">success of Lia Thomas</a>, a trans woman and former University of Pennsylvania swimmer, who became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I individual national title in March.



<h2 id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



Critics tend to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dw.com/en/unfair-advantage-or-more-inclusion-trans-athletes-in-sports/a-57995840" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">argue</a>&nbsp;that trans participation is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/29/us/lia-thomas-women-sports.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unfair</a>&nbsp;and at the expense of other athletes, with the biological advantages like elevated testosterone levels used to justify excluding competitors from events that fit with their gender identity, even if they have transitioned.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/03/18/978716732/wave-of-new-bills-say-trans-athletes-have-an-unfair-edge-what-does-the-science-s" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific</a>&nbsp;research&nbsp;<a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/55/11/577" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">suggests</a>&nbsp;there may be a possible advantage for trans women competing in women’s events, though this is far from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/24/ioc-delays-new-transgender-guidelines-2020-olympics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">definitive</a>&nbsp;and does not&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-world-sport-lgbt-trfn-idUSKBN2BG34Q" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">necessarily back</a>&nbsp;barring trans athletes from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/61346517" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">competing</a>. Despite the purported advantage trans athletes have, there is scant evidence that trans athletes invariably dominate the sports they compete in. For example, despite nearly two decades of eligibility at the Olympics, the first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/30/here-are-the-first-openly-transgender-and-nonbinary-olympians-making-history-in-tokyo/?sh=73779d35a9c8">openly trans athletes qualified&nbsp;</a>for Tokyo 2020. Of these athletes, just one—Canada’s Quinn, a trans nonbinary soccer player—scored a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/08/06/canadas-quinn-makes-history-as-first-openly-transgender-and-nonbinary-athlete-to-win-olympic-medal/?sh=3e77a0e5d61e">medal</a>. Hubbard also competed, as did nonbinary skateboarder Alana Smith. While neither medalled and Quinn won gold, media coverage and commentary was dominated by Hubbard.



<h2 id="h-chief-critic">CHIEF CRITIC</h2>



<a href="https://www.athleteally.org/athlete-ally-responds-to-discriminatory-fina-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Activists</a>&nbsp;have&nbsp;<a href="https://time.com/6188583/megan-rapinoe-equal-pay-title-ix-transgender-sports-bans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spoken</a>&nbsp;out against the bans as discriminatory and not rooted in science. Joni Madison, the interim president of the Human Rights Campaign,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/human-rights-campaign-slams-discriminatory-fina-policy-banning-transgender-swimmers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;FINA’s “discriminatory decision is a blatant attack on transgender athletes who have worked to comply with longstanding policies that have allowed them to participate for years without issue.” Madison said the policy was an example of swimming organizations “caving to the avalanche of ill-informed, prejudiced attacks targeted at one particular transgender swimmer” and urged FINA to rethink its decision. The policies are “fueled by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawmakers-unable-to-cite-local-trans-girls-sports-914a982545e943ecc1e265e8c41042e7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">discrimination, not facts</a>,” the organization added.



<h2 id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/annakaplan/2022/06/19/world-swimming-federation-bars-most-transgender-women-from-elite-competitions-but-weighs-open-competition-category/?sh=7860b0db65b9">World Swimming Federation Bars Most Transgender Women From Elite Events—But Weighs ‘Open Competition’ Category</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/02/03/record-numbers-of-openly-lgbtq-athletes-will-compete-at-beijing-2022---including-first-openly-nonbinary-winter-olympian/?sh=5257a2ae125c">Record Numbers Of Openly LGBTQ+ Athletes Will Compete At Beijing 2022 — Including First Openly Nonbinary Winter Olympian</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/30/here-are-the-first-openly-transgender-and-nonbinary-olympians-making-history-in-tokyo/?sh=73779d35a9c8">Here Are The First Openly Transgender And Nonbinary Olympians Making History In Tokyo</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/15/magazine/gender-therapy.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Battle Over Gender Therapy</a> (NYT)



By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff

Time for rugby

Rugby Is The Latest Sport To Bar Trans Athletes From Competition As Athletics, Soccer Mull Similar Policy

<h2 id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



The international governing body for swimming voted Sunday to largely restrict transgender athletes from competing in the elite level of women’s swimming, but will consider setting up new “open competition” events, a decision that follows months of controversy and was cast by the organization as a way of balancing inclusion with competitive fairness.



<h2 id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The governing body FINA’s&nbsp;<a href="https://resources.fina.org/fina/document/2022/06/19/525de003-51f4-47d3-8d5a-716dac5f77c7/FINA-INCLUSION-POLICY-AND-APPENDICES-FINAL-.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new policy</a>&nbsp;bars swimmers who transitioned after age 12, or those who cannot establish they “have not experienced any part of male puberty,” from competing in women’s events.



FINA said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fina.org/news/2649715/press-release-fina-announces-new-policy-on-gender-inclusion" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">statement</a>&nbsp;71.5% percent of the organization’s voting members voted in favor of the new policy, which will take effect on Monday.



FINA President Husain Al-Musallam said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fina.org/news/2649715/press-release-fina-announces-new-policy-on-gender-inclusion" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">statement</a>&nbsp;the federation has to “protect the rights of our athletes to compete, but we also have to protect competitive fairness at our events.”



The federation’s new policy also included proposals for an “open competition” category for athletes who do not meet the criteria for men’s or women’s competitions—a FINA working group plans to discuss how to implement this idea over the next six months.



<h2 id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



James Pearce, a spokesperson for Al-Musallam, told the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-swimmers-new-rules-fina-world-governing-body-c17e99d3121fa964336458b57ae266f7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Associated Press</a>&nbsp;FINA made the decision because some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/29/us/lia-thomas-women-sports.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scientists concluded</a>&nbsp;a person transitions after the start of puberty, they have an advantage. “[The new policy is]



<h2 id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



Former University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, who was been a central figure in the debate,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/05/31/we-transition-to-be-happy-lia-thomas-pushes-back-against-detractors-of-transgender-athletes/?sh=57f7172330c4">defended her right</a>&nbsp;to compete in women’s sports last month, after she became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I individual national title in March. Thomas—who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/trans-swimmer-lia-thomas-aims-for-2024-us-olympic-team-trials" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">has said</a>&nbsp;she aspires to swim in the U.S. Olympic trials—told&nbsp;Good Morning America&nbsp;that “trans people don&#8217;t transition for athletics, we transition to be happy.”



<h2 id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



FINA’s new policy comes days after the World Professional Association for Transgender Health&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gender-transition-treatment-guidelines-9dbe54f670a3a0f5f2831c2bf14f9bbb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">updated its guidelines</a>&nbsp;to lower the minimum recommended age for starting gender hormone treatment from 16 to 14, and set the minimum age for some surgical procedures at 15 or 17—meaning most trans children won’t begin to transition before age 12. While&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/29/us/lia-thomas-women-sports.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a>&nbsp;on the performance of transgender athletes is limited, there has been a surge in legislation in the United States barring or preventing transgender athletes from competing in sports events in recent years. Some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/transgender-athlete-ban.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">18 states</a>&nbsp;have passed laws restricting transgender women and girls from participating in school sports teams that align with their gender identity, according to the&nbsp;New York Times. The NCAA, the organization that regulates U.S. college athletics,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.org/news/2022/1/19/media-center-board-of-governors-updates-transgender-participation-policy.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">changed its rules</a>&nbsp;in January to allow individual sports to determine their own eligibility rules for transgender athletes. The NCAA’s previous policy required transgender athletes to have undergone one year of testosterone suppression treatment to compete on a women’s sporting team.



<h2 id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gender-transition-treatment-guidelines-9dbe54f670a3a0f5f2831c2bf14f9bbb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trans kids&#8217; treatment can start younger, new guidelines say</a>&nbsp;(The Associated Press)



<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/15/briefing/transgender-care-experts-divide.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why Doctors Are Divided Over Gender-Affirming Care for Children</a> (The New York Times)



By Anna Kaplan, Forbes Staff

Female swimmer diving in mid-air

World Swimming Federation Bars Most Transgender Women From Elite Events—But Weighs ‘Open Competition’ Category

<h2>Topline<a href="https://policies.google.com/privacy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a></h2>



FIFA on Thursday announced the 16 North American venues that will host games in the 2026 men&#8217;s World Cup, including 11 in the U.S., three in Mexico and two in Canada&#8211;here are the cities where the action in the world&#8217;s biggest sporting event will take place.



<h2 id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



FIFA grouped the host cities by region, with Los Angeles, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay area city of Santa Clara holding U.S.-based matches in the West region, while Vancouver in Canada and Guadalajara in Mexico will also serve as host cities.



The Central region consists of venues in Houston, Dallas, Kansas City and Atlanta, as well as Mexico City and Monterrey in Mexico.



In the East, MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey—just outside New York City—will host, along with venues in Philadelphia, Boston, Miami and Toronto.



Five U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2022/06/15/which-us-cities-will-host-the-2026-world-cup-fifa-to-announce-10-winners-thursday/?sh=595d0f1e3a07">cities named as finalists</a>&nbsp;were not selected to host games: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville and Orlando didn’t make the cut, while Edmonton in Canada was also not picked.



<h2 id="h-what-we-don-t-know">WHAT WE DON&#8217;T KNOW</h2>



The sites for specific matches, including the opening game and the final, will be announced at a later date.



<h2 id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



$90 million-$480 million. That&#8217;s how much host cities can expect to receive in windfall gains from World Cup-related economic activity,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2018/02/hosting-the-2026-fifa-world-cup-could-create-more-than-5-billion-in-economic-activity-for-north-amer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to U.S. Soccer.



<h2 id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



The 2026 World Cup will be the first tournament ever hosted by three countries, and will feature significant format changes from other recent World Cups. The number of teams competing in the tournament will jump from 32—where it has stood since 1998—to 48, and the opening stage will shift from eight groups of four teams to sixteen groups of three. As with prior World Cups, the top two teams from each group will advance, but they will move into a knockout stage starting with a round of 32 in 2026, instead of a round of 16. The U.S. has hosted the World Cup on one occasion before, in 1994, while Mexico has hosted twice, 1986 and 1970. Canada has never hosted a men&#8217;s World Cup.



<h2 id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



The 2022 World Cup takes place in Qatar from November 21-December 18. The U.S. plays its first game on opening day against Wales, followed by matchups&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/04/01/us-to-face-england-and-iran-in-return-to-soccer-world-cup/?sh=5aee2f84572e">against England and Iran</a>&nbsp;to close out the group stage.



<h2 id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2022/06/15/which-us-cities-will-host-the-2026-world-cup-fifa-to-announce-10-winners-thursday/?sh=595d0f1e3a07">Which U.S. Cities Will Host The 2026 World Cup? FIFA To Announce 10 Winners Thursday.</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/04/01/us-to-face-england-and-iran-in-return-to-soccer-world-cup/?sh=5aee2f84572e">U.S. To Face England And Iran In Return To Soccer World Cup</a> (Forbes)



By Nicholas Reimann, Forbes Staff

FIFA World Cup 2026 Host City Announcement

These 11 U.S. Cities Will Host 2026 World Cup Games

Only 24, South African footballer Fagrie Lakay has seen a resurgence in his career over the last year, moving to top Egyptian Premier League side Pyramids FC.



By Nick Said



SOUTH AFRICAN FOOTBALLER FAGRIE LAKAY has long spoken about plying his trade outside of the country’s borders, but his move to top Egyptian Premier League side Pyramids FC is certainly a case of the road less traveled.



He is just the fourth South African to play in arguably Africa’s top league, following in the footsteps of trailblazer Phakamani Mahlambi, Gift Links and Percy Tau, who is currently with giants Al Ahly under coach Pitso Mosimane.



Lakay has seen a resurgence in his career over the last 12 months, one that had seemed to be stalled after a succession of failed moves. It is incredible to think he is only 24, but his debut as a professional for Cape Town club Santos at the age of 15 means he has been around almost a decade already.



He is the youngest player to feature in the top two tiers of South African football since accurate records were kept, and is also the youngest ever international for the country having made his Bafana Bafana bow against Ivory Coast in 2014 aged 17 years, six months and one day.



“We had a Dutch coach [Mart Nooij] at the time and my first professional game was a Cape Derby against FC Cape Town,” Lakay tells FORBES AFRICA of his Santos bow.



“I didn’t expect to play. I had come from school [for training] and was having lunch with the coach. And while we were sitting there, he just said, ‘I want to give you the opportunity to play this weekend’.



“I was very excited, and it was such a good feeling and a great experience. As a youngster, once you play that first game you just want to play more and more, and all the time. It kept me hungry.”



And he was even more shocked when handed his senior national team debut a few years later.



“To be honest, I never saw that one coming either! But if I think back now, it is definitely one of my best footballing memories. I had played for the junior national teams but playing for Bafana&#8230; it was just a whole different feeling.



“The whole country is behind you. The feeling is hard to explain. It is one of a kind, and to do it at such a young age was amazing.”



It would be almost seven years to the day before Lakay earned his second cap, against Zimbabwe in November 2021, with his strong club form for Cape Town City not only catching the eye of national team coach Hugo Broos, but a number of overseas teams as well.



There was a time it seemed unlikely he would wear the Bafana jersey again as stints Pretoria-based SuperSport United, Ajax Cape Town and Johannesburg club BidVest Wits provided little evidence that he would fulfil his potential.



“Staying that side [Gauteng] at a young age [18] and not being able to just come home to your parents, that was difficult for a young boy. But as they say, if you want to grow you have to go somewhere else and move away from home,” he says.



“It’s just unfortunate that when I moved there [to SuperSport], maybe the circumstances weren’t right and I didn’t play as much as I would have wanted to. But I learned a lot, I looked up to older guys like Jeremy Brockie and Bradley Grobler in terms of how I wanted to play my game. I used to watch what they did at training and how they got themselves into goal-scoring positions.”



He joined Ajax on loan in the 2017/18 season and they were relegated that year, though he was one of their better performers.



“It was unfortunate that it was the year Ajax got relegated, but for me personally it was a good season. It was something that I needed, the game-time,” he says.



“And I got to work with, in my opinion, one of the greatest coaches we have seen in the PSL in Muhsin Ertuğral. The experience that I gained from working with him was amazing.”



His next spell at Wits was hampered by a broken leg, but things changed for him when he returned from that set-back and Cape Town City brought him back to the Mother City.



“[Coach] Gavin Hunt told me that competition was tight at Wits and they were competing for the league, so the chances of me playing were kind of slim.



“It was not about my ability or anything, but I had been out a long time and only just come back from injury, so it was just in that moment that it would be difficult for me.



“I was quite excited to come back home and play for a quality side. And just getting another opportunity to play.”



It proved the right decision, and his career is in lift-off again, especially with the move to Pyramids, where he hit the ground running with a brace of goals in the CAF Confederation Cup.



“As a player, the more you play and the older you get, you need to learn and improve your game. That is something I have been focusing on,” Lakay says.



“Especially just getting into the box, because at the end of the day if you want to score goals, you need to be in the box. That is what the best strikers in the world do.



“Yes, I am quick and have pace, but I don’t need to use it all the time. If I am in the box at the right time, that is where I will get my goals.&#8221;

CAF Confederation Cup – Quarter Finals – First Leg – Pyramids FC v TP Mazembe

All Work and More Play for South African Footballer.

After her recent gold at the World Cup in Cairo, 20-year-old South African gymnast Caitlin Rooskrantz tells us what it takes to win, despite injuries and setbacks, even as she looks forward to the 2022 Commonwealth Games.



<h2 id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



In a recent interview with FORBES AFRICA, South African gymnast Caitlin Rooskrantz discusses sticking landings, receiving support, her proudest moments and setting her sights on the 2022 Commonwealth Games to be held in Birmingham, England, from July 28 to August 8.



<h2>Background</h2>



 In 2019, Rooskrantz became the first South African female artistic gymnast to qualify for the Olympics since 2004. She was 17.



She also won her first gold at a World Cup with the uneven bars at the Artistic Gymnastics Challenge event in Hungary the same year.



“And I think that was one of the biggest highlights of my career, winning that gold medal, because it was so unexpected. I went into that competition with my biggest goal to try and get into the final. And that already for me was goal achieved, anything after was just kind of a bonus,” says Rooskrantz.



A random draw is done for the order of gymnastic performances. She wound up being last, an unenviable position.



“It was really intimidating. My biggest goal for the final was just to enjoy it, taking the moment, and I ended up coming first, which was the cherry on top of all of it.”



She participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, not winning a medal, but delivering her personal best.



Her favorite event is the uneven bars.



Comprising of vault, floor, beam and uneven bars; artistic gymnastics is a grueling and difficult sport, injury-prone, and with immense repetition behind the scenes. Crowds only see a few minutes of a clean routine at an event.



She dislocated her knee multiple times, eventually tearing a ligament in her ankle from overcompensating.



Her knee was becoming progressively unstable, so eventually, she opted for surgery. It took her nine months to fully recover, and she couldn’t attend the 2018 Commonwealth Games.



“The thing with being a high-level athlete, I was on bed rest for a week, and after, we got back in the gym; even if it was for an hour a day, I would go to gym every day. I was doing upper body strength, I was doing like rehabilitations in physiology and a lot of mental visualizations to try and keep in the game somehow.



“I made the decision that that was not going to be the end of my career. I was not even halfway there yet. So I really made a full recovery. I haven&#8217;t struggled ever since with my knee again, it&#8217;s been good and I haven’t dislocated it.”



She says she wouldn’t be where she is today without the solid support system of her medical team, her family and friends. She says her sport psychologist is important, as the mental side of a physical injury is just as important to heal.



Speaking on the sacrifices to get where she is, Rooskrantz says she would do it all again.



“It&#8217;s a lot, you know, to get to that point that we all want to get to. But I can also definitely say having gone to the Olympics and achieved my lifelong dream, it was all worth it. I would do it again, in a heartbeat, to relive that Olympic dream again.”



Only 20 years old, Rooskrantz landed a gold for uneven bars at the 2022 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Cairo, Egypt.



“I think nothing compares to having to stand on the podium on an international stage and hearing your anthem play. It&#8217;s very rare, because gymnastics is not a big sport in South Africa. And we are not usually amongst the top five or 10. That&#8217;s always one of my proudest moments, is standing, hearing the anthem playing, knowing, I did that, myself!”



Rooskrantz is going as an all-round gymnast to the Commonwealth Games in 2022. She says she’s working tirelessly, upgrading her routines to get more difficulty in and become more internationally competitive on uneven bars.



“Because I am capable of it. It&#8217;ll be my first Commonwealth Games. I&#8217;m really excited. I hope that I can really showcase my best routine and I don&#8217;t know more or less what the competition standard is like, but I’ll try my best to challenge for a podium finish,” she concludes, confidently.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Previews – Day -1

Raising The Bar: South African Gymnast On Gold And Getting On With The Sport

One of South Africa’s finest women’s footballers of the last two decades, Rhoda Mulaudzi, also a royal princess, had to fight all the way to get to this point in her career – first with her family and then the South African football structure. She is now opening doors for other women to play professionally.



By Nick Said



GROWING UP AS A PRINCESS IN THE Mulaudzi-Mulikiti clan of Venda in South Africa’s Limpopo province, it is expected that young girls will take up their royal duties and give in to their destiny as a member of the regal line.



But Rhoda Mulaudzi chose a different path, instead following her passion to play football despite heavy resistance from within her royal family, who instead wanted her to take up her responsibilities within the clan.



Her decision may have been controversial at home, but it has given South Africa one of its finest women’s footballers of the last two decades, taken Mulaudzi to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, a professional career in Australia and Europe, and much trophy success with Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies.



She recently celebrated winning the inaugural Confederation of African Football Women’s Champions League with Sundowns, a momentous moment for the game in the country.



It is just the latest achievement for the 32-year-old striker, who admits she has had to fight all the way to get to this point of her career – first with her family and then a South African football structure that did not provide many opportunities for young girls when she first started out.



“It was not easy for me,” Mulaudzi tells FORBES AFRICA. “I don’t normally like to talk about it. Coming from a royal family, being a female and wanting to play football. The family&#8230; they wanted me to be something else.



“But I had to fight for it. Fortunately I had the support of my dad, who was a football person. He understood how it felt and he supported me through thick and thin, even though the rest of the family didn’t want to.



“I started playing football when I was five. I would play with my cousins and as time went on I think the family could see that it is what I loved the most.



“I would say they do support me today, even though they would prefer if I was a princess. But I refuse to be that because football is something that I love, it completes my life and my world.”



Mulaudzi says opportunities were scarce for girls when she was starting out in the game and she had the good sense to make sure she completed her tertiary studies.



“In 2004 I started playing in an amateur team in my village [Malonga Village], and then my parents relocated to Gauteng [South African province]. That is when I started playing with the boys in Soweto. From there my coach saw that I had potential and that I could not play with boys forever.



“He took me to Colchester Ladies in Eldorado Park, where I played with [Banyana Banyana teammate] Refiloe Jane.



“At the same time I completed my Matric in 2008 and went to Vaal University of Technology and enrolled for a diploma in Sports Management and a B-Tech [Bachelor of Technology] in Business Administration.”



The lack of opportunities for Mulaudzi growing up may have been stark, but she has done more than most to open doors for other women to play professionally having been one of the pioneering South African players to move abroad.



“I signed my first professional contract at Canberra United in Australia [in 2018]. From there I played in Cyprus at Apollon Ladies, including in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. I also played for Dinamo Minsk in Belarus.



“The Australians were very welcoming. I was the top goalscorer for the team and was voted the Player of the Year by the supporters. Even now they are saying they need me back and I can go there.



“But the problem with Australia is their [football] calendar clashes with our national team commitments, and so you have a situation where both want you to play for them at the same time. That was when we decided to come home, represent the country.”



It was the right decision as Mulaudzi was selected for the 2019 World Cup in France as South Africa made their debut at the global showpiece event.



“The World Cup was amazing,” she says. “It is not easy playing with the ‘big guns’, but we enjoyed ourselves and the experience we got playing there, we are using it now.



“If I look at the majority of the players that are in this Sundowns team, they have been to the World Cup. Our success shows the hard work and experience we acquired from there.”



Mulaudzi hopes the recent CAF Champions League win with Sundowns will inspire young girls to take up the sport and view her success as proof that they can make a career out of the game.



“We did not just do it for ourselves, but also the young ones out there, the next generation so that everyone can recognize that in South Africa we have good players. That will hopefully open the doors for others to get a contract overseas.”



There is another World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 and Mulaudzi says she has set her sights on being there with Banyana.



“Age is just a number, as long as I can still play and run, that is what matters most. I can still see myself playing overseas again,” she says.



“I am keen on being a coach when I retire. Especially to develop the young ones. The only problem that we have as Africans going overseas is our development.



“We don’t have enough of it at a young age compared to the Europeans. That makes it very hard. My dream is to see me coaching the young ones.”

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