Year: <span>2017</span>

Over 600 players from about 30 countries across the world are expected to grace the fourth edition of Gorilla International Open and the second edition of Africa Para-Taekwondo Open that will be hosted in Kigali in March and April, officials have said

The two international competitions will be held simultaneously from March 31 until April 2 at Amahoro indoor stadium, and according to Rwanda Taekwondo Federation (RTF) Secretary General Placide Bagabo about 100 local players to compete in the two competitions have begun early preparations in their respective 29 clubs across the country.

Rwanda was given the rights to host the continental championship during the WTF General Assembly after the World Junior Taekwondo Championship in November last year in Canada and this will be the first time that Rwanda will compete in the Para-Taekwondo competition.

“We expect at least 600 players from about 30 countries across the world, countries will be eligible to participate in both competitions and as Rwanda we are very glad to host such big tournaments that will attract such a great number of players in the history of our country,” said Bagabo at a press conference that was held at Amahoro stadium on Tuesday. In January 2016, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced that taekwondo will make its historic debut in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and it’s in that context that Rwanda will be looking to use the event as part of preparations for the national team that will compete in the Olympic qualifiers.

“We need to use this opportunity to prepare both our teams for Olympic and Paralympic qualifiers for Tokyo 2020 because we aim to debut at the next Olympic and Paralympic Games,” he added

On the other hand, RTF Secretary General Martin Koonce noted that the two competitions will cost about Rwf 100 million and insisted everything is going according to plan.

“It’s amazing and historic to host these competitions, and we are going to try our level best to have a colorful showpiece and we call upon the stakeholders to support us and make it more successful,” said Koonce.

<Source: http://rwandataekwondo.org>

Rwanda’s women referee Salma Rhadia Mukasanga is one step closer to refereeing on football’s biggest stage with selection on the FIFA 2019 Women’s World Cup Candidates Program for prospective Match Officials.

Mukasanga is one of the only six center referees selected from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

In the appointment letter sent to Rwanda Football Federation on Thursday, the World Football body, FIFA’s Head of Refereeing Massimo Busacca said, “This is an exceptional honor as only 45 Referees and 88 Assistant Referees have been selected as candidates from over 750+ women FIFA referees/assistant referees worldwide,”

“Our goal at FIFA is to select the world’s best match officials, for the world’s best competitions – the FIFA World Cup(s),” added Busacca.

The aim of the program is to prepare prospective FIFA World Cup referees through fitness monitoring, psychological analysis of game demeanor, and testing of the FIFA Laws of the Game.

FIFA has launched a three-year plan for development and monitoring of the Women’s World Cup candidates over the next 3 years in order to achieve their shared goals. Only a limited number of match officials will be selected to officiate in the Women’s World Cup, and selection will be based 100% on performance.

The candidates program starts this year with a FIFA seminar due in Portugal in February for all the candidate referees and this will be followed by the Algarve Cup for 12 referees & 24 assistant referees.

FIFA will also be sending staff to Confederation/MA seminars and tournaments to observe the candidates progress

In 2018, based on results from 2017, FIFA will host a seminar in Portugal for the candidate referees, followed by the Algarve Cup. Candidates will also attend FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018 and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup France 2018.

FIFA will also observe the candidates progress in the Confederation and MA Seminars & tournaments.

In 2019, based on results from 2018, FIFA will host a seminar in Portugal for the remaining candidate referees, followed by the Algarve Cup.

Then the selected officials for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 will then be sent to Zurich for final preparations from where only the best Referees and Assistant Referees will be selected for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France 2019.

Mukasanga began her refereeing career in 2007 before becoming an international referee in 2012. Since then, she has officiated at major tournaments, including Africa U-17 and U-20 finals as well as senior World Cup preliminary games, 2015 All African Games, 2015 CECAFA women challenge that took place in Jinja, Uganda and most recently, the CAF Women’s championship held in Cameroon last year.

Other African candidate referees picked include Tanzania’s Jonesia Kabakama, Zambia’s Lengwe Gladys, Cameroonian Neguel Therese, Ethiopian Tafesse Ledya and Senegalese Thioune Fatou respectively.

Nine assistant referees candidates from Africa were also picked as candidates for the 2019 FIFA Women World Cup and they include; Akou Kossonoux Denis (Cote d’Ivoire), Kone Fanta Idrissa (Mali), Kwimbira Bernadettar (Malawi), Mbakop Josiane (Cameroon), Mosimanewatwala Botsalo (Botswana), Njoroge Mary (Kenya), Oulhaj Souad (Morocco), Rakotozafinoro Lidwine (Madagascar) and Some Bielignin (Burkina Faso).

Source: Ferwafa.rw

Rwanda Basketball Federation (FERWABA) officially unveiled American Joseph ‘Joby’ Wright as the new technical director on Friday at Amahoro National Stadium.

Wright, 66, is an American former college and professional basketball player, who comes to Rwanda with vast experience, according to FERWABA secretary general, Richard Mutabazi.

Mutabazi noted that, “Previously we thought our basketball does not need a foreign technical director since the standards were still down but now we med-blog.com it’s the right time to appoint somebody with vast experience to help improve the sport.”

“We are confident that the new technical director will help take Rwandan basketball to another level,” added Mutabazi. The American signed a two-year contract until end of 2018.

On his part, the new technical director said that, “I am pleased to work in Rwanda, a country with unlimited potential.”

“Having had the opportunity to travel in 12 African countries, I was impressed with Rwanda because of many things; 60% of the population are youth, safety, infrastructure and the leadership right from the President of the country, enticed me to come and work here,” Wright explained.

He added, “I’m looking forward to working with the national teams and coaches. I have spent a lot of my life impacting young people in basketball. I believe we can have a great national team in Rwanda.”

“Rwanda has the potential to develop in basketball. It’s not going to be easy because there are challenges but we can overcome that with commitment from everyone,” he noted.

The new technical director will be responsible for a whole host of things that will offer an element of continuity above and beyond training and improving skills among the coaches.

He will be charged with designing a basketball youth development program, selecting national coaches for national basketball teams, searching for corporate sponsorship and finding trainings outside Rwanda.

<<Source: The New Times>>