A report claims that Real Madrid football star Cristiano Ronaldo paid $375,000 in hush money to a woman who accused him of raping her in Las Vegas some eight years ago. German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel said in a Friday report that it had obtained documents, through Football Leaks, that the world-known Portuguese football player, now 32, agreed to give the large sum of money to the unnamed woman after she alleged that Ronaldo raped her at a luxury hotel in Las Vegas in June 2009, when she was in her 20s.

The report, citing the secured documents, added that the woman and Ronaldo, through his lawyer Carlos Osório de Castro, had reached the out-of-court settlement on January 12, 2010 in front of a Nevada mediator. The magazine further said that de Castro declined to comment on the controversial case but added that it was contacted by a second German lawyer, Johannes Keiler, who dismissed the claims against his client and urged the weekly to drop the report.

“The accusations implied by your questions are to be rejected in the strongest possible terms,” he said, warning that his client would “act against every untrue claim and the injury of his personal rights.” Back in October 2005, Ronaldo, then a Manchester United winger, made news after a woman claimed he had sexually assaulted her in a penthouse suite in London’s Sanderson Hotel earlier that month. Ronaldo categorically rejected the charges then and a month later Scotland Yard officially announced that the charges had to be dropped due to inadequate evidence.

Culled from Presstv

Rigobert Song, the former captain of the Indomitable Lions returned to Cameroon yesterday the 1 of April 2017.  Not looking very fit and hesitant in his step, Song was welcomed at the Yaounde Nsimalen international airport by a cheering crowd. It was a historic return to his homeland having left Cameroon in October 2016, after suffering a stroke.

Magnan returned to Yaoundé on an Air France flight that landed around 19:40 pm.  The atmosphere was special as several hundred people, acquaintances and simple admirers have made the trip to wish a good return to the one who remains the idol of a nation.

Upon arrival at the VIP Lounge of the airport, the jubilation took hold of him and a very smiling Rigobert Song was touched by this gesture of affection.  “What’s going on? Is everyone for me? The Africa Cup of Nations trophy has already passed through this airport!! Why are people still here?” Song laughed with the media men pointing out that this atmosphere reminded him of the returns after great victories of the national team.

Hundreds of fans gathered spontaneously and were chanting “Magnan”, “Magnan” at the sight of Rigo under the astonished gaze of his mother.  “I thank God, the presidential couple and the Cameroonian people who love him so much. He left like a passenger without a ticket, today he is back on his feet” said Bernadette Song.

By Rita Akana

Samuel Eto’o, the former captain of the indomitable Lions of Cameroon has reacted to the scandal that has rocked the national football team in Brussels. Eto’o made his opinion public on Thursday stating that the recent affair in Belgium falls in line with what he had all along been criticizing in the management of Cameroon football.

The French Cameroun football legend said that history has finally vindicated him because he often suffered the wrath of the leaders of the Cameroonian Football Federation when he happened to denounce the bad organization of the national team.

Eto’o’s misfortunes began in November 2011 after the LG Cup tournament in Marrakech. For claiming the payment of bonuses and forcing his teammates to refuse to play a friendly against Algeria, he was suspended for 15 matches before the sentence was reduced to eight months.

As a reminder, the Lions of Cameroon were blocked in a hotel in the Belgian capital, Brussels. The players were refused food before a friendly against Guinea Conakry due to unpaid bills.

By Fru James

The Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo government is attempting to use all available means to stifle the Southern Cameroons uprising and any actor who can achieve that is highly solicited. This time around the baton has been handed over to Lady Sarah Liengu Etonge-the forgotten hero.

The 2017 edition of the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope has coincided with the Anglophone crisis that has rocked the nation. Correspondingly, the regime in Yaoundé is now using retired Queen of the Mountain, Sarah Liengu Etonge as bait to capture the minds of Southern Cameroonians who regularly attend or watch the race over the years. The seven times champion has come out of her retirement and announced her participation but added that “It is for Peace and Unity.”

Lady Sarah Etonge is yet to condemn the rapes, extra judicial killings and massive arrest going on in Southern Cameroons but is only quick to speak of peace and unity. The woman whose statue was poorly erected by ruling CPDM gang in 2006 and was immediately brought down by youths of the Buea city council is now seen as a unifying figure. The million dollar question is: Can she go beyond lips and participation to bring back peace and Unity when underneath the race lies litany of problems plaguing the two English speaking regions with massive arrest, shootings, killings and imprisonment?

Observers hold that no matter the popularity of the Queen of the Mountain and the efforts made by the CPDM crime syndicate to call for peace and activities in schools to return to normalcy, things will continue to grow from bad to worse if  a better approach to the crisis is not adopted and the highhandedness of the government on the population withdrawn. Furthermore, if those arrested are not freed, if massive arrests are not stopped, if intimidation, phone checks are not abolished above all, a resumption of dialogue chaired by Mr. Paul Biya, Southern Cameroons as part of the La Republique du Cameroun will be history.

Cameroun Info.Net

Christian Bassogog and Danish club Aalborg will no longer be an item as the player has successfully passed the medical examination to the Chinese Henan Jinya.

Chinese media reported that the deal worth 35 million euros over a 5 years period, or 23 billion CFA francs for the duration of the contract. His net annual salary is expected to be 7 million euros, or 4.5 billion FCFA.

Winner of the last edition of the Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon, Christian Bassogog was voted best player of the competition.

By Sonne Peter

Ivorian and Chelsea FC legend, Didier Drogba recently paid a surprise visit to Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo. The Ghanaian Head of State himself announced the visit on his Face Book page with the precision that “… the legend of Chelsea football club Didier Drogba, paid me a surprise visit at the presidency in Accra.”

In the published photo, both men greeted with smiles on their faces. Nothing has so far filtered from the presidency about the visit of Drogba to Akufo-Addo.

By Chi Prudence Asong

Cameroon football legend, Samuel Eto’o, who had aroused doubts among fans of Antalyaspor by displaying with the shirt of a Russian club, Amkar Perm Fc, on which was written, “more info to follow”, brought joy into Antalyaspor as he netted two goals and dedicated victory to the fans.

The 35-year-old Cameroonian veteran scored a penalty before the break. In the second half, Samuel Eto’o scored his second goal at the start of the last quarter of an hour, giving the victory to his club.With two goals scored yesterday, Samuel Eto’o has eight goals this season.

By Chi Prudence Asong

The dad of world tennis star Yannick Noah who died on the 8^th of January in Yaoundé will be laid to rest on Wednesday January the 18^th 2017. The former international soccer player travelled to the land of his ancestors after a protracted illness.

Yannick Noah said his late dad Zacharie Noah was a winner man full of passion. He reportedly jumped into the central court defeating all security services some few seconds after his son won the Roland-Garros final in 1983 even before Yannick Noah could shake the hands of the umpire.

The late Zacharie Noah was born on the 2^nd of February 1937 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, then French protectorate. He was the son of Simon Noah, a Cameroonian who worked in the French cocoa plantations and was murdered at the age of 84 by a stray bullet during the attempted coup in 1985.

He attended high school at the Lycée Marcel Roby in St Germain-en-Laye, France before becoming a professional footballer with Stade Saint-Germain.  He won the French cup final with Sedan in 1961. His professional career stopped abruptly in 1963 following a serious injury.

Zacharie Noah got married to Marie-Claire Noah and they were blessed with two daughters, Isabelle and Nathalie and tennis player Yannick Noah, born in 1960. He is the grandfather of basketball player Joakim Noah, Son of Yannick.

By Sonne Peter

FIFA has unanimously decided the World Cup will be expanded to feature 48 countries from 2026. The football body’s ruling council said on Tuesday the tournament would see 16 groups of three nations.

Approval for the increase from 32 teams meets President Gianni Infantino’s election pledge to expand the World Cup and could help fund extra money for FIFA’s 211 members.

It will mean the current tournament format of 64 matches increasing to 80, which FIFA has forecast will equate to $1bn (£823m) of extra income from broadcasting and sponsorship deals as well as ticket sales. The 2018 World Cup in Russia is expected to generate $5.5bn (£4.5bn) in income.

FIFA’s six confederations will find out in May how many extra places they will get for the competition. UEFA has said it wants 16 European teams in the 2026 tournament, which will likely be held in North America.

The CONCACAF region – which also includes Canada and Central America – has not hosted the World Cup since it was held in the US in 1994. Football bodies from the US, Canada and Mexico have held initial talks about co-hosting a bid for 2026.

Africa and Asia could also benefit from the expansion, with up to nine places each. Africa had five and Asia only four at the 2014 World Cup.

But FIFA has admitted it expects the standard of the tournament to drop with an additional 16 teams. In a research document sent out to members last month, it said the “absolute quality” of play – defined by high-ranked teams facing each other most often – is achieved by 32 teams.

Three-team groups mean one country will be left idle for the final group matches, and concerns have been raised over collusion between the two remaining teams. FIFA has said it could guard against result rigging by introducing penalty shootouts if group games end in draws.

Culled from Sky Sports News