AWARDS 2004, CELEBRATE WOMEN IN AFRICA
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AWARDS 2004, CELEBRATE WOMEN IN AFRICA
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
6 April, 2004
MTN CAF AWARDS 2004, CELEBRATE WOMEN IN AFRICA
While much of the focus and speculation around the forthcoming MTN CAF Awards has been on who the Player of the Year for 2003 might be, we shouldn’t forget the achievements of women in African football over the past year.
Although the winner of the African Woman’s Player of the Year award was not announced at the original launch press conferences, deliberation by the CAF selection committee has now been concluded and it is with great pleasure that we can announce that Ghanaian midfielder Adjoa Bayor has been selected for this prestigious award.
While 2003 was a disappointing one for African Woman’s football, after the relative failure of Africa’s two representative at the 2003 Women’s World Cup, Nigeria and Ghana, Bayor was one of the success stories of the event. This determined and skilful No.10 was the catalyst in the midfield for the Ghanaian side that made a favourable impact at USA 2003. Bayor was named Player of the Match in Ghana’s fantastic 2-1 win over Australia, a result that ensured Ghana did not finish either winless or at the bottom of the group. It also saw the Black Queens improving their final tournament standing from the previous World Cup, up one place from 13th to 12th.
Bayor becomes the second Ghanaian player to win this award, after captain Alberta Sackey was honoured last year for her performances at the African Woman’s Cup of Nations in 2002. The inaugural winner of the African Woman Player of the Year award was Nigerian star, Mercy Akide.
Another award not announced at the original press conferences but now finalised by CAF is the annual Merit Achievement Award. This award goes to individuals who have contributed to African football in a non-playing capacity.
In this respect, CAF and MTN are proud to announce that the Merit Achievement Award for 2003 will go the recently appointed President of the Liberian Football Association, Wesley Sombo Izetta. Although Izetta made history this year by becoming the first woman to take charge of an African national association, the award is being given to her for her efforts in stepping into the breach after the departure of former FA President Edwin Snowe during the turbulent times in Liberia last year. Despite the conflict, Izetta who took charge and ensured that the Liberian national team continued to honour its fixtures and played all its compliment of African Cup of Nations qualifying matches, even to the extent of playing their `home’ games in Accra, Ghana when it became clear that the safety of visiting teams to Monrovia could not be guaranteed.
Izetta’s remarkable contribution to her country does not start and end with football either. She is also a City Councillor and part of the Transitional Committee established to facilitate a smooth transfer of power to the people of Liberia after the ousting of former leader Charles Taylor. A remarkable and deserving winner of this award indeed.
In a sport still dominated by the men’s game, we are certainly proud to recognise the achievements and contributions of women to African football at this year’s MTN CAF Awards ceremony, to be held in the city of Yaoundé, Cameroon, on the 30 April 2004. For both MTN and CAF, these honours ably serve the promotion of a bigger, all encompassing vision for the future of football on our continent.
Your reactions please.
tribalfootball.com
For Immediate Release
6 April, 2004
MTN CAF AWARDS 2004, CELEBRATE WOMEN IN AFRICA
While much of the focus and speculation around the forthcoming MTN CAF Awards has been on who the Player of the Year for 2003 might be, we shouldn’t forget the achievements of women in African football over the past year.
Although the winner of the African Woman’s Player of the Year award was not announced at the original launch press conferences, deliberation by the CAF selection committee has now been concluded and it is with great pleasure that we can announce that Ghanaian midfielder Adjoa Bayor has been selected for this prestigious award.
While 2003 was a disappointing one for African Woman’s football, after the relative failure of Africa’s two representative at the 2003 Women’s World Cup, Nigeria and Ghana, Bayor was one of the success stories of the event. This determined and skilful No.10 was the catalyst in the midfield for the Ghanaian side that made a favourable impact at USA 2003. Bayor was named Player of the Match in Ghana’s fantastic 2-1 win over Australia, a result that ensured Ghana did not finish either winless or at the bottom of the group. It also saw the Black Queens improving their final tournament standing from the previous World Cup, up one place from 13th to 12th.
Bayor becomes the second Ghanaian player to win this award, after captain Alberta Sackey was honoured last year for her performances at the African Woman’s Cup of Nations in 2002. The inaugural winner of the African Woman Player of the Year award was Nigerian star, Mercy Akide.
Another award not announced at the original press conferences but now finalised by CAF is the annual Merit Achievement Award. This award goes to individuals who have contributed to African football in a non-playing capacity.
In this respect, CAF and MTN are proud to announce that the Merit Achievement Award for 2003 will go the recently appointed President of the Liberian Football Association, Wesley Sombo Izetta. Although Izetta made history this year by becoming the first woman to take charge of an African national association, the award is being given to her for her efforts in stepping into the breach after the departure of former FA President Edwin Snowe during the turbulent times in Liberia last year. Despite the conflict, Izetta who took charge and ensured that the Liberian national team continued to honour its fixtures and played all its compliment of African Cup of Nations qualifying matches, even to the extent of playing their `home’ games in Accra, Ghana when it became clear that the safety of visiting teams to Monrovia could not be guaranteed.
Izetta’s remarkable contribution to her country does not start and end with football either. She is also a City Councillor and part of the Transitional Committee established to facilitate a smooth transfer of power to the people of Liberia after the ousting of former leader Charles Taylor. A remarkable and deserving winner of this award indeed.
In a sport still dominated by the men’s game, we are certainly proud to recognise the achievements and contributions of women to African football at this year’s MTN CAF Awards ceremony, to be held in the city of Yaoundé, Cameroon, on the 30 April 2004. For both MTN and CAF, these honours ably serve the promotion of a bigger, all encompassing vision for the future of football on our continent.
Your reactions please.
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