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YAYA TOURé CHEERS AS AFCON TROPHY KICKS OFF GLOBAL TOUR

CAF's innovative Diaspora Tour, launched in Paris, uses football and culture to reinforce the bond between the continent and its global family ahead of AFCON 2025.

Yaya Touré Cheers as AFCON Trophy Kicks Off Global Tour
AFCON Trophy Tour Bridges Africa and Diaspora

The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Trophy Diaspora Tour started its international trip in Paris on Wednesday, December 3rd. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) presented the trophy at the Yoyo venue in Paris.

The tour was created to include African communities living outside of Africa and to strengthen the connection between them and the upcoming competition in Morocco next year.

Ivorian legend Yaya Touré, who won the trophy in 2015 and was named CAF African Player of the Year four times, was the main attraction of the night.

Touré stated, This trophy represents all of Africa. It makes me feel good to see it travelling to the diaspora in Paris. Africa should have moments like this where it is united by culture and football.

His being there created an identity and a sense of pride.

CAF Director of Competitions Samson Adamu spoke about why the tour was created.

“The Diaspora Tour is not just for publicity. It shows unity. The diaspora is very important to African football. This AFCON 2025 will belong to them, too. When AFCON happens, even Paris will be excited.”

A panel that offered personal thoughts and experiences from different generations of African football included Touré, Bruno Ecuele Manga (Gabon), and Moussa Niakhaté (Senegal).

The musical performances helped blend football with culture, which was the main goal of the Diaspora Tour.

Mohamed Ramadan was the first to perform. The crowd cheered loudly as he gave an energetic performance.

He told the crowd, “Africa is one big family. This tour brings us closer.”

Congolese rap icon Youssoupha then gave a strong performance.

The event stood out because of its feeling of togetherness.

All evening, the trophy got a lot of attention and showed off the continent and its global diaspora.

WILFRIED NANCY: CELTIC BOSS BLOCKS OUT ALL "NOISE" AND CRITICISM AFTER HEARTS LOSS

After the heat following the Hearts' loss, Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy stated he has "blocked everything out," including social media criticism, to focus solely on the team's performance.

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Celtic Manager Ignores Online Criticism to Focus on Europa League

Celtic's head coach, Wilfried Nancy, said he tunes out all the noise when making decisions as a manager.

This comes after the Frenchman faced some heat after a 2-1 loss to Heart of Midlothian in his first game with the Glasgow team.

Before the Europa League match against AS Roma, Nancy said he doesn't pay attention to what others think.

When asked if those opinions bother him, he told a press conference, "That's a good question."

I'll be honest.

Every team I've coached—when I decided to become a coach—well, when I had the chance to become a coach, I'd been an assistant for seven years, working with many coaches.

I always told myself that when I became a coach, I'd block everything out. And that's exactly what I did.

He said he's built a wall between himself and any outside opinions, even online criticism.

I've blocked anything on Twitter that mentions my name, the club, or what people are saying.

People can say what they want. It's part of the job, and that's what we prepare for. I'm not here to comment on everything.

The manager explained that ignoring public opinion helps him focus on what he can control to improve how the team plays.

He used an analogy about how everyone has different tastes, like when people have different experiences with the same food.

We could visit a restaurant together, and you might love the food, while I don't.

Get what I mean? You like it, and I don't.

Nancy made his goals clear: he's focused on his players and the club and wants to do his best to give good performances.

He wrapped up by saying, At the end of the day, it's part of the job. I control what I can to be good with my players, my club, and the people I work with and to make sure we have the best chance of winning by playing well.

His team will play AS Roma in the Europa League tomorrow.

PEACE PRIZE SCRUTINY: FIFA FACES FORMAL COMPLAINT ABOUT UNILATERAL DONALD TRUMP AWARD

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is accused of four breaches of the ethics code by FairSquare, including awarding the first FIFA Peace Prize to Donald Trump at the World Cup draw.

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Infantino's Political Comments Spark Neutrality Complaint

After the World Cup draw last week, FIFA is facing a formal complaint about political neutrality. FairSquare, a nonprofit, sent FIFA’s Ethics Committee a detailed letter pointing out four possible violations by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the event, one of which was giving out the FIFA Peace Prize.

Calls for FIFA to Look Into It

FairSquare's complaint follows the World Cup draw. At the event, the awarding of the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize was part of several mentions of President Donald Trump. FIFA said the award recognised Trump’s work in promoting peace and unity around the world.

FairSquare believes that giving the prize, along with other things that happened during the event, might have gone against FIFA’s policy of being politically neutral. They've requested the ethics committee to look into the decision to create and give out the FIFA Peace Prize and whether it followed FIFA’s rules.

Infantino and Trump

Infantino and Trump have met a few times over the years, which isn't unusual, as FIFA presidents often meet with leaders from different countries. During the draw, Infantino made some comments about Trump.

He said he was surprised by negative comments about Trump. He stated that, regardless of not being American, Trump was elected in the United States, and one should respect the results of a democratic election.

FairSquare's complaint argues that these statements show a political stance, breaking FIFA’s neutrality rules.

FIFA's Ethics Code

FIFA's ethics code says that the organisation should stay neutral when it comes to politics. It specifically says FIFA remains neutral in matters of politics and religion, also requiring everyone bound by the code to remain politically neutral when dealing with government groups.

Infantino has met with Trump a few times, including an invitation to the presidential inauguration and visits to the Oval Office.

Acting Alone

The Peace Prize given to Trump has been questioned, as it seems it was decided on and awarded without talking to senior FIFA officials. High-ranking FIFA officials were unaware of the award before its announcement. The award was revealed on the same day Infantino spoke at an event in the United States.

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