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Français (Afrique)Algérie : Chiakha privilégié, Berkane écarté : le choix polémique de Petkovic
Le débat autour des choix du sélectionneur Vladimir Petkovic ne cesse de s’intensifier, et la récente convocation de Chiakha Amin en est l’illustration parfaite. Comment justifier une telle décision lorsque l’on met en parallèle ses performances avec celles d’autres attaquants laissés de côté ? Chiakha Amin affiche un bilan pour le moins inquiétant : une […]
L’article Algérie : Chiakha privilégié, Berkane écarté : le choix polémique de Petkovic est apparu en premier sur Shoot Africa.
Iranian footballers return home after dropping Australian asylum bids
IGDIR, Turkey, March 18, 2026 – Five members of Iran’s national women’s football team who dropped their bids for Australian asylum have returned to the country with the rest of the squad.
The team were pictured in their tracksuits as they crossed into Iran from Turkey on Wednesday afternoon, having flown back via Malaysia and Oman.
A number of the players had initially sought humanitarian visas to stay in Australia after concerns they would face repercussions for staying silent during Iran’s national anthem at their opening Asian Cup match.
Human rights activists have said they may have been pressured to reverse their decisions through threats against their families.
The team had landed in Igdir in eastern Turkey around noon local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday.
Turkish media reported that after clearing customs and passport control in the evening, they left the airport for a hotel under police escort.
Three of the players who dropped their bids have previously been named by activists in the Iranian diaspora as Zahra Soltan Meshkehkar, Mona Hamoudi and Zahra Sarbali.
Iran’s state media reported captain Zahra Ghanbari was also among those who changed their minds, while the fifth player has not yet been named.
Just two others who were granted sanctuary have stayed behind as defectors.
Concerns grew about the team’s safety after footage emerged of a host on state TV calling them “traitors” who ought to be punished for their silence during the anthem on 2 March, days after the US and Israel began their war against Iran.
The players went on to sing the anthem at their next two matches before being eliminated – leading critics to believe they had been told to sing by government officials accompanying them during the tournament.
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke later confirmed five players who “wanted to be able to stay in Australia” had been escorted to a safe location by police, from the Gold Coast hotel where they had been staying.
Burke said he met the women at the safe location and signed off for their applications for humanitarian visas at about 01:30 local time – which would have given them leave to live, work and study in the country.
The BBC witnessed some of their minders running across the hotel to try to find them – but they had already gone.
Two more women later joined the group.
But after some started to change their minds, Burke said the Australian government could not “remove the context in which the players are making these incredibly difficult decisions”.
Iran’s sports ministry said at the time that they had “defeated the enemy’s plans” against them through their “national spirit and patriotism”, and accused Australia’s government of “playing in Trump’s field”.
IRGC-affiliated news agency Tasnim meanwhile reported the players had faced “psychological warfare, extensive propaganda and seductive offers” in Australia.
The post Iranian footballers return home after dropping Australian asylum bids appeared first on Capital Sports.
Mondial féminin U20 de handball : l’Afrique fixée sur ses adversaires de groupes
Les quatre représentants africains connaissent désormais leurs adversaires pour la phase de groupes de la 25e Coupe du monde féminine U20 de handball, à l’issue du tirage effectué ce 18 mars 2026 par l’IHF à Bâle, en Suisse.
L’Égypte (groupe A), l’Angola (groupe B), la Guinée (groupe E) et la Tunisie (groupe G) sont fixés sur leur sort pour cette première phase.
Voici la composition officielle des groupes :
Groupe A : France, Égypte, Suède, Inde
Groupe B : Autriche, Serbie, Angola, Paraguay
Groupe C : Allemagne, Roumanie, Brésil, Canada
Groupe D : Espagne, Corée du Sud, Argentine, Turquie
Groupe E : Danemark, Chine (hôte), Guinée, vainqueur IHF Trophy
Groupe F : Monténégro, Tchéquie, Islande, États-Unis
Groupe G : Hongrie, Pologne, Taipei chinois, Tunisie
Groupe H : Croatie, Japon, Norvège, à déterminer
À l’issue de cette phase, les deux premières équipes de chaque groupe se qualifieront pour le tour principal (Main Round).
La compétition se disputera du 24 juin au 5 juillet 2026 dans quatre arènes situées à Jinzhong, en Chine.
The post Mondial féminin U20 de handball : l’Afrique fixée sur ses adversaires de groupes appeared first on AFRICASPORT.ORG.
Emerse Faé clarifie le cas Pépé et fixe le cap avant le Mondial 2026
À l’approche de la Coupe du monde de la FIFA 2026, le sélectionneur de la Équipe de Côte d’Ivoire de football, Emerse Faé, a dévoilé sa liste pour la fenêtre FIFA de mars, prévue du 23 au 31 mars 2026.
Au cœur des débats, plusieurs interrogations, notamment autour de l’absence de Nicolas Pépé « Par rapport à Nicolas Pépé, il n'est pas absent de la liste par rapport à sa vidéo, même si j'aurais préféré qu'elle n'ait pas lieu. Mais en tout cas, le choix de ne pas le sélectionner-là n'a pas de rapport, n'a pas de lien avec la vidéo qu'il a publiée récemment sur la toile. Merci beaucoup », tels sont les propos du sélectionner face à la presse nationale.
Face aux rumeurs évoquant une possible influence de la Fédération dans ses choix, Emerse Faé s’est montré catégorique, « En aucun cas, le président de la Fédération n'intervient sur les choix. Pour aller plus loin dans notre stratégie, le président connaît la liste, seulement la veille des conférences de presse. Parce que c'est normal que le président de la Fédération soit au courant de la liste avant qu'elle ne soit officiellement présentée. »
Au-delà de ces clarifications, le sélectionneur ivoirien a insisté sur l’enjeu de ce rassemblement « Comme d'habitude, la liste de mars ne sera pas la même que la liste de mai pour la coupe du monde. Il va y avoir pour des joueurs des places à prendre et je pense que profiter de cette fenêtre pour gagner des points et valider son billet pour les États-Unis je pense que ce serait une bonne opportunité pour eux », a-t-il dit.
Au-delà des cas individuels, ce rassemblement s’annonce crucial. Il s’agit du dernier stage avant la Coupe du monde 2026, une étape déterminante dans la construction du groupe. Les Éléphants affronteront deux adversaires de qualité dont la Corée du Sud ainsi que l’Ecosse, deux styles de jeu bien distincts.
Kadia’D.
ANZA MMA Fight Nights 007 returns to The Alchemist with a Kenya-dominated fight card
East Africa’s premier mixed martial arts promotion, ANZA MMA, is back this March with ANZA MMA Fight Nights 007, set to take place on Thursday, 26 March 2026, at The Alchemist, Nairobi, with doors opening at 6pm and the fights starting at 7pm. The event is expected to bring another action-packed night of amateur mixed martial arts featuring some of East Africa’s most exciting rising fighters.
Tickets are available online via Hustle Sasa – the official ANZA MMA ticketing platform.
The preliminary card continues ANZA MMA’s commitment to developing new talent, with fighters from across Kenya and the region stepping into the cage.
The upcoming event will be headlined by a highly anticipated bantamweight main event between Hassan Wasswa Muhammed of Nairobi Jiu-Jitsu Academy and Maina Morgan of Shadow Strikers, a matchup expected to deliver fireworks as Wasswa looks to solidify his place at the top of the division.
In the co-main event, featherweights Dickson Aomo of Diani Fight Club and Hamza Fahim of Mombasa Sharks face off in what promises to be a fast-paced contest between two of the best MMA fighters from the Coastal Province. Aomo, a dangerous Muay Thai striker, is coming off two dominant victories and will face Fahim, a debuting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt and Karate practitioner.
The main card will also feature two highly anticipated matchups, including fan favourite Samuel Laurian of Nairobi Jiu-Jitsu Academy, who will face Brayan Ray in a featherweight bout, and Bobby Kamande of Chanuka Self Defence, who will step into the cage to face Lwano Matthew fromMarine Gym.
Confirmed prelim bouts include:
- Augusto Kohn vs Erick Ogola (Welterweight)
- Guraib Rukwaro vs Chris Mutea (Strawweight)
- Alex Njathi vs Shadrack Otieno (Lightweight)
- Felix Tole vs Evans Kaburia (Super Lightweight)
- Josiah Aoncha vs Rai Tsuma (Lightweight)
- Hashim Sefu vs Wayne Achoki (Featherweight)
This edition of ANZA MMA is notable for the number of new athletes entering the sport, with 11 fighters making their amateur debut on the card.
Unlike the last event that drew fighters from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and DRC, the upcoming lineup is heavily dominated by Kenyan talent from across the country, including athletes travelling from Kisii, Kakamega, Mombasa, Diani, and multiple gyms across Nairobi, highlighting the rapid growth of the domestic amateur MMA scene. The diversity of gyms represented reflects the increasing structure, organisation, and competitiveness of mixed martial arts in Kenya.
Since its launch, ANZA MMA has become one of the leading platforms for amateur mixed martial arts in East Africa, providing fighters with a professional environment, proper matchmaking, and the opportunity to compete in front of live audiences. Building on the momentum of its previous season, the 2026 edition continues to strengthen the region’s competitive MMA scene while serving as a key platform for developing the next generation of African fighters and preparing them for regional and international competition.
About ANZA MMA
ANZA MMA is Kenya’s first licensed MMA promotion under the Kenya Oriental Combat Sports Federation, committed to developing local talent and elevating the sport across the region through professionally organised, high-level competitive events.
In 2025, KO Fight Night by ANZA MMA made history by delivering Kenya’s first-ever professionally sanctioned Mixed Martial Arts event, bringing together top professional fighters from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania for a landmark night of elite competition and world-class production, setting a new benchmark for Kenyan combat sports.
The post ANZA MMA Fight Nights 007 returns to The Alchemist with a Kenya-dominated fight card appeared first on SportsAfrica - Sports news | Live scores | Match highlights | Betting tips.