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SPORTS Diamars 30 maart 2021

African basketball league to go ahead in

Rwanda in May

(AP) — The inaugural African basketball qualify for the playoffs, which will be single-elim-
league will take place in Rwanda in May af- ination games.
ter a delay of more than a year because of the The BAL said it has created “robust health and
coronavirus pandemic. safety protocols for the 12 teams and personnel
traveling to Rwanda” to deal with the threat of the
The new date for the 12-team tournament was an- virus. It said its protocols were based on guidance
nounced Monday by the NBA and FIBA, who co- from the World Health Organization and the Af-
run the event. The Basketball Africa League will rica Centres for Disease Control and Prevention,
start May 16 with the final on May 30. with advice from public health officials and medi-
The BAL is the NBA’s first collaboration to operate cal experts.
a league outside North America. It was scheduled FIBA hosted an African national championship
to tip off last March, just as the pandemic reached qualifying tournament in Rwanda late last year and
Africa. in the midst of the pandemic without major prob-
The games will now all take place at the Kigali Are- lems. That experience “will contribute to a safe and
na in the Rwandan capital. They were due to be successful inaugural BAL season,” FIBA Africa and
spread across seven countries, with Egypt, Senegal, BAL board president Anibal Manave said.
Nigeria, Angola, Morocco and Tunisia hosting the The league’s first season will feature the national
early stages of the tournament and Rwanda staging champions from Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria,
a Final Four. Senegal and Tunisia. Another six teams from Al-
The format has also been changed, with teams now geria, Cameroon, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique
divided into three groups of four. Eight teams will and Rwanda came through qualifying in 2019.

Secondary help: Vikings bring European women’s soccer vision sees place

back Alexander, add Woods for indie clubs

(AP) — Independent
teams should have a place
beside storied names from
men’s soccer even as the
women’s game develops
rapidly, the organization
of Europe’s top clubs said
Monday.

Clubs such as Fortuna Hjør-
ring and Glasgow City —
(AP) — The Minnesota 2017 out of Louisiana Tech. which do not have men’s
Vikings have added more In 2015, his college position teams — are currently a fix-
seasoning to their second- coach was Karl Scott, who ture in the later knockout
ary, agreeing to contract was hired by the Vikings rounds of the UEFA Wom-
terms with cornerback this winter as their defensive en’s Champions League.
Mackensie Alexander and backs coach. Woods became The competition figures to
safety Xavier Woods. a full-time starter in his sec- get only tougher for the long-
ond year and has 18 passes standing independents after
The Vikings on Monday an- defensed, five interceptions Juventus and Real Madrid
nounced the deals, which and three forced fumbles in bought into women’s soccer en’s soccer and “that is not — plus a new 16-team group
were pending completion of his career. in the past four years. something that is going to be stage. The final will be hosted
a physical exam. Alexander He’ll fill the spot vacated by Creating new clubs is one of prevented or indeed should at the 41,000-capacity home
made a quick return to Min- Anthony Harris, who signed six key goals in a strategy for be prevented.” of Juventus in Turin.
nesota, which drafted him in with Philadelphia. Five-time women’s soccer published Juventus and Madrid bought Another key aim in the ECA
the second round in 2016 out Pro Bowler Harrison Smith by the European Club As- the license of local women’s is “development of the com-
of Clemson. He left as a free has manned the other safety sociation, which represents clubs that were then rebrand- petition landscape,” with a
agent last year for Cincinnati, spot for nine seasons. around 250 men’s clubs. ed in their names, while second European club com-
where he started 10 games in While the lack of a pass rush Those new clubs should Manchester United created petition targeted.
the nickel role. was a glaring problem, the include “big brands” and a team in 2018 that won pro-
The Vikings mostly used Jeff secondary was more vulner- “green field clubs” joining motion to the top-tier Eng- FIFA also has a long-time
Gladney, one of their 2020 able last year than ever since the sport, said ECA chief ex- lish division in its debut sea- goal of creating a Club World
first-round draft picks, in the Mike Zimmer was hired as ecutive Charlie Marshall. son. Cup. With strong opponents
slot when they had five de- head coach in 2014. The Vi- “Finding avenues to launch, The appeal of the Women’s from the United States, Eu-
fensive backs on the field last kings finished 2020 without to grow and to profession- Super League in England was rope would be less likely
season. By bringing in Al- a single cornerback who had alize new clubs is a big part shown with a breakout do- to dominate as it has in the
exander and eight-time Pro played in more than 28 ca- of what we want to try to mestic broadcasting deal an- men’s version.
Bowl pick Patrick Peterson, reer games. The additions of achieve,” he told reporters in nounced this month. The ECA strategy also seeks
the Vikings have lessened Peterson and Alexander will an online briefing. One attraction for the big- to run more medical research
the pressure on Gladney make it tougher for Mike The document also foresees gest clubs is changes to the and data analysis projects
and Cameron Dantzler, who Hughes to stay on the team. providing a “care package” to UEFA Women’s Champions that are currently lacking in
showed signs of promise in Their 2018 first-round draft support clubs that are “tee- League, which was won for women’s soccer.
their first year but were often pick has been limited by in- tering on the verge of exis- the past five seasons by Lyon. Sharing details of running
overwhelmed as rookies. juries his entire time in the tence.” Next season it will have three youth academies is a main
Woods played his first four NFL, with neck trouble set- Marshall acknowledged the teams instead of two from target, said Claire Bloom-
seasons for Dallas after being ting him back in each of the bigger men’s clubs would the top-ranked nations — in- field, the ECA head of wom-
drafted in the sixth round in last two seasons. continue to invest in wom- cluding England and Spain en’s football.