Read on Twitter
"According to the report from the #Zanzibar Football Federation, signed by its President Seif Pandu, the ConIFA [African Championship] tournament will be staged in the isles in May this year"
So, two months to prepare, eh?
Not at all mental in every way.
https://dailynews.co.tz/news/2021-02-17602cb94bd85cc
So, two months to prepare, eh?
Not at all mental in every way.
https://dailynews.co.tz/news/2021-02-17602cb94bd85cc
"He said there are 10 countries coming to Zanzibar for the event, @ZanzibarFA, @BarotseFootball, @MatabelFootball, @SahrawiFA, @KabyliaFA, #Yoruba, #Biafra, @FABarawa, @Somaliland_FA, @ChagosIsland & @FootballLesotho*"
* NB: Lesotho is a @FIFAcom member, so this is very unlikely
* NB: Lesotho is a @FIFAcom member, so this is very unlikely
"While in #Zanzibar the teams' players & officials will be invited to visit various tourist attractions in the isles.
Zanzibar took part in the ConIFA Championship in the finals staged in Kurdistan, in 2012*"
* NB: 2012's championship was the NFB's, not ConIFA's, which was 2014
Zanzibar took part in the ConIFA Championship in the finals staged in Kurdistan, in 2012*"
* NB: 2012's championship was the NFB's, not ConIFA's, which was 2014
This goes some way towards forestalling the thread I'd been working on, when the African members of @ConIFAOfficial put 40 pertinent questions to @ConIFAPresident Per-Anders Blind.
The vast majority went unanswered.
They remain so, to this day. This article raises even more.
The vast majority went unanswered.
They remain so, to this day. This article raises even more.
There are many reasons why it is unlikely that the 11(!) teams named in the article will play each other in #Zanzibar *in May*
Assuming @DailyNewsTZ's article to be true, what is the reason for a sudden news report for an African Continental Championship? https://twitter.com/dailynewstz/status/1361948631180349443
Assuming @DailyNewsTZ's article to be true, what is the reason for a sudden news report for an African Continental Championship? https://twitter.com/dailynewstz/status/1361948631180349443
The Tanzanian government-owned @DailyNewsTZ is unambiguous about it as well.
It was explicit in saying that @ZFFZanzibar President, Seif Kombo Pandu, put his signature to a communiqué or press release about a May 2021 tournament.
That document really should be made public, now.
It was explicit in saying that @ZFFZanzibar President, Seif Kombo Pandu, put his signature to a communiqué or press release about a May 2021 tournament.
That document really should be made public, now.
A very odd number of 11 teams includes 3 which have no side at all & are run by political activists who are totally external to the football industry:
@BarotseFootball/ #Biafra/ #Yoruba
In a tournament announced 2-3 months before it is to be played, making fundraising impossible.
@BarotseFootball/ #Biafra/ #Yoruba
In a tournament announced 2-3 months before it is to be played, making fundraising impossible.
Another major question about the validity of this putative tournament in #Zanzibar relates to why ConIFA has been corresponding with @ZanzibarFA's President at a random GMail account & not an official @ZFFZanzibar email account.
As if the whole thing wasn't Zanzibizarre enough.
As if the whole thing wasn't Zanzibizarre enough.
And 11 minutes ago, the Gmail-wielding weirdness got even more interesting.
Seif Kombo Pandu, purportedly the #Zanzibar tournament organiser, has resigned his Presidency: https://twitter.com/ZanzibarFa/status/1362364429896200194
Seif Kombo Pandu, purportedly the #Zanzibar tournament organiser, has resigned his Presidency: https://twitter.com/ZanzibarFa/status/1362364429896200194
"I have resigned effective February 17th" said Kombo.
"In a communication issued by @ZFFZanzibar today, it was confirmed Pandu resigned on Wednesday. In his letter he said he had decided to take the decision in the interest of @ZanzibarFA"
Zanzi-bizarre.
https://zanzibarfa.com/2021/02/18/zff-president-kombo-resigns/
"In a communication issued by @ZFFZanzibar today, it was confirmed Pandu resigned on Wednesday. In his letter he said he had decided to take the decision in the interest of @ZanzibarFA"
Zanzi-bizarre.
https://zanzibarfa.com/2021/02/18/zff-president-kombo-resigns/
24hrs after they themselves spread a rumour about a tournament that was never going to happen, the government-owned @DailyNewsTZ is running an article on how the #Tanzania government should crack down on rumour-mongers.
You really couldn't make this up. https://twitter.com/dailynewstz/status/1362314654727438337
You really couldn't make this up. https://twitter.com/dailynewstz/status/1362314654727438337
Why exactly, on the same day that he resigned, did now ex- @ZFFZanzibar/ @ZanzibarFA President sign a statement that they were to host African Championships in #Zanzibar, this May?
Well, it is a problem that ConIFA have repeatedly failed to address, favouring Eurocentric approach.
Well, it is a problem that ConIFA have repeatedly failed to address, favouring Eurocentric approach.
Well, it was the utter failure to resolve pertinent issues that were raised by @ChagosIsland @MatabelFootball @DarfurUnited @KabyliaFA @FABarawa & @SahrawiFootball, in this letter to the ConIFA Executive Committee [ExCo] that led to @GFStauring/ @KatieJayScott resigning #Darfur:
![Well, it was the utter failure to resolve pertinent issues that were raised by @ChagosIsland @MatabelFootball @DarfurUnited @KabyliaFA @FABarawa & @SahrawiFootball, in this letter to the ConIFA Executive Committee [ExCo] that led to @GFStauring/ @KatieJayScott resigning #Darfur:](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EuhqKPuWYAMIoG1.png "Well, it was the utter failure to resolve pertinent issues that were raised by @ChagosIsland @MatabelFootball @DarfurUnited @KabyliaFA @FABarawa & @SahrawiFootball, in this letter to the ConIFA Executive Committee [ExCo] that led to @GFStauring/ @KatieJayScott resigning #Darfur:")
6 members, a majority of the African membership, dedicated half the 2nd page of this letter to extensively addressing a total lack of playing opportunities afforded to them.
#Senegal was proposed as a host.
Thousands of Miles from actual members.
By a European.
Without a map.
#Senegal was proposed as a host.
Thousands of Miles from actual members.
By a European.
Without a map.
In fact, only @BarotseFootball @Somaliland_FA & @ZFFZanzibar/ @ZanzibarFA did not sign it.
Two of those were completely inactive 'members' & the London-based Somalilanders were still miffed at losing 2020 #WorldCup hosting rights, having been switched to non-member N. Makedonija.
Two of those were completely inactive 'members' & the London-based Somalilanders were still miffed at losing 2020 #WorldCup hosting rights, having been switched to non-member N. Makedonija.
In total, there were about 40 questions that were posed.
All of the issues were salient.
All of the issues were well-known.
What do you suppose that the ConIFA President's response was? To be conciliatory? To accede to the perfectly reasonable requests, which were not demands?
All of the issues were salient.
All of the issues were well-known.
What do you suppose that the ConIFA President's response was? To be conciliatory? To accede to the perfectly reasonable requests, which were not demands?
Not quite.
In fact, @ConIFAPresident wrote a letter so inflammatory & insulting that he had to be talked out of it.
Which is remarkable in itself, because what he put his name on was pretty damn insulting / patronising.
And that was the one that got sent to the ConIFA 'family'
In fact, @ConIFAPresident wrote a letter so inflammatory & insulting that he had to be talked out of it.
Which is remarkable in itself, because what he put his name on was pretty damn insulting / patronising.
And that was the one that got sent to the ConIFA 'family'
It's more than a little bizarre that @ConIFAOfficial's actual President dedicated most of pages 1 & 2 to throwing @JustinWalley10 @JJRS89 & @SaschaDueerkop under a bus, rather than admit to his organisation being Eurocentric.
Or to even remotely answering reasonable questions.
Or to even remotely answering reasonable questions.
'The European Club Championship was an idea that just "popped up" from @AlbertoRischio…I'm really struggling to understand your aggressiveness'
OK then, @ConIFAPresident, publish that 1st draft of this dismissive missive. The one you had to be told to bin before everyone quits.
OK then, @ConIFAPresident, publish that 1st draft of this dismissive missive. The one you had to be told to bin before everyone quits.
So to return, briefly, to the original post of the thread, the unofficially announced plans for an African Continental Championship, apparently to be played this May in #Zanzibar, let's look at the current #Covid19 situation in Tanzania, shall we?
01/02/21
Health Minister Dorothy Gwajima said that #Tanzania has no interest in taking part of a vaccination programme, despite the strong recommendation @WHO to participate. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-55905102
Health Minister Dorothy Gwajima said that #Tanzania has no interest in taking part of a vaccination programme, despite the strong recommendation @WHO to participate. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-55905102
11/02/21
Reports circulate that major hospitals in #DarEsSalaam are inundated with patients suffering from #Covid19 symptoms.
Intensive care units at those hospitals are full with beds, oxygen & respirators were in short supply. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-12/covid-19-crisis-grows-in-tanzania-as-president-rejects-risks
Reports circulate that major hospitals in #DarEsSalaam are inundated with patients suffering from #Covid19 symptoms.
Intensive care units at those hospitals are full with beds, oxygen & respirators were in short supply. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-12/covid-19-crisis-grows-in-tanzania-as-president-rejects-risks
The same @Business report contains 2 alarming quotes for footballers:
"I don’t expect to announce any lockdown because our living God will protect us"
"We will continue to take other health precautions, including steam therapy"
- John Magufuli, President of #Tanzania, 27/01/21
"I don’t expect to announce any lockdown because our living God will protect us"
"We will continue to take other health precautions, including steam therapy"
- John Magufuli, President of #Tanzania, 27/01/21
The @BPolitics article's authors summate inherent problems with #Tanzania ignoring Pandemics succinctly enough:
"Ascertaining the true extent of the crisis is impossible because there is minimal testing"
"That means most people who contract the virus are unaware & undocumented"
"Ascertaining the true extent of the crisis is impossible because there is minimal testing"
"That means most people who contract the virus are unaware & undocumented"
17/02/21
On the same day that Pandu resigned @ZFFZanzibar & announced *his* new tournament, albeit via media outlets & not via any official ConIFA channels, the Vice-President of #Zanzibar, Seif Sharif Hamad, died of #Covid19
Which is totally reassuring. http://www.africanews.com/2021/02/18/tanzania-still-in-denial-about-covid-19-existance-despite-surge-in-cases/
On the same day that Pandu resigned @ZFFZanzibar & announced *his* new tournament, albeit via media outlets & not via any official ConIFA channels, the Vice-President of #Zanzibar, Seif Sharif Hamad, died of #Covid19
Which is totally reassuring. http://www.africanews.com/2021/02/18/tanzania-still-in-denial-about-covid-19-existance-despite-surge-in-cases/
A month after the @AfricaConIFA's tournament plans were announced, @ZanzibarFA's President resigned & the Vice-President of #Zanzibar died of #Covid19 (an event-full day), it was announced that #Tanzania's President had also died. https://twitter.com/omsevyas/status/1372336155694395396
The Guardian ran an article on the matter of John Magafuli's death, one month to the day after the announcement from @ConIFAAfrica/ @AfricaConIFA of the planned tournament in #Zanzibar: https://twitter.com/omsevyas/status/1372331148139970566
It quickly became worldwide news, with @ElPaisMexico running the same story on the same day.
The (completely insane) matter of playing an international football tournament in a country that was in a state denial is discussed in this thread, in #Spanish: https://twitter.com/omsevyas/status/1372358173647065094
The (completely insane) matter of playing an international football tournament in a country that was in a state denial is discussed in this thread, in #Spanish: https://twitter.com/omsevyas/status/1372358173647065094
