Sports
Slain Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei to Be Laid to Rest on September 14
Ugandan Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who tragically died in Kenya after being set on fire by her boyfriend, will be buried on September 14 in her hometown, according to funeral organizers. The 33-year-old athlete, who competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics last month, succumbed to severe burns on Thursday, just days after the attack.
The funeral will take place in Kongasis sub-county, Bukwo district in eastern Uganda, near Cheptegei’s family home, located about 380 kilometers northeast of Kampala. Beatrice Ayikoru, secretary general of the Uganda Olympic Committee and a member of the organizing committee, confirmed the details.
Cheptegei’s death has sparked outrage and mourning, highlighting ongoing issues of gender-based violence in Kenya, where at least two other athletes have similarly lost their lives. Doctors reported that she suffered burns covering more than 80 percent of her body from the attack last Sunday. The assailant, her Kenyan partner Dickson Ndiema Marangach, also sustained severe burns and is currently receiving hospital treatment.
In tribute to Cheptegei, the city of Paris will name a sports venue in her honor. The athlete, who had just made her Olympic marathon debut in August, was also a record holder for Uganda in women’s marathon and served as a sergeant in the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe expressed profound sadness over Cheptegei’s death, acknowledging the tragic circumstances and vowing to improve safeguarding policies to protect athletes from abuse. The incident has intensified the focus on domestic violence and femicide in Kenya, prompting calls for stronger measures to address gender-based violence.
The United Nations condemned the “violent murder,” with spokesman Stephane Dujarric emphasizing that gender-based violence remains a significant human rights violation globally and should be treated as such. Cheptegei’s death marks the third instance of a female athlete being killed by a partner since 2021.
Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola has expressed his surprise at Manchester United’s decision to sell midfielder Scott McTominay. The Scotland international was transferred to Napoli during the summer transfer window for a fee of £25.7 million and has made a strong impact in Serie A, scoring two goals and providing an assist in his last three matches.
“I’m very surprised,” Zola said on Wednesday (via Metro UK). “I could not believe that Manchester United released him, to be honest. I don’t really know what the reason is, but obviously for Napoli, it’s been a great deal. I think everybody loves him so far; he’s scored goals and performed very well. He left me a little bit dazzled, to be honest, I didn’t expect that.”
Zola also noted the significance of McTominay’s success for Italian football, stating, “It is a big thing for Italian football; he is doing very well.”
Gateway United has officially terminated the contract of their head coach, Samson Omiponle, as confirmed by the club’s management. The decision to part ways with Omiponle takes immediate effect.
The Abeokuta-based club is now actively searching for a new coach ahead of the upcoming 2024-25 Nigeria National League (NNL) season. Gateway United will compete in the Southern Conference Group A for the new campaign, which is set to kick off on Saturday, November 30.
PGMOL chief Howard Webb has stated that there have been only two errors made by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the current English Premier League season. VAR has faced significant scrutiny since its introduction in 2019, but Webb asserts that the technology is showing improvement and that mistakes are being minimized after a rocky start.
During an appearance on the Stick to Football Podcast, Webb addressed the management of expectations regarding VAR, noting, “I don’t think we managed expectations well in terms of VAR. We knew it was always going to be a situation where it was going to do well on those clear situations, the ones where you think, ‘That’s clearly wrong on first view.’”
He also highlighted the role of an independent panel comprising ex-players that reviews decisions weekly. According to this panel, only two VAR errors have occurred this season, a significant reduction from the ten errors reported at the same point last year. Webb’s comments suggest a positive trend in the application of VAR in the Premier League, aiming to enhance the accuracy and reliability of officiating.
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