Panafrica News

football: nantes to play behind closed doors following toulouse match incidents The French Football League’s disciplinary board has ruled on the pitch invasion that cut short the final Liga 1 clash between FC Nantes and Toulouse, imposing a one-game stadium closure for the Canaries next term. The disciplinary committee of France’s top football division has delivered its verdict on the chaotic finale at Stade de la Beaujoire. With FC Nantes already relegated to Ligue 2, ultras stormed the pitch within minutes of kick-off after learning their team’s fate had been…

On the heels of the 36th anniversary of student activist Dabo Boukary’s assassination under former president Blaise Compaoré, Burkina Faso’s military-led government has moved against the country’s largest student federation. The Union générale des étudiants burkinabè (Ugeb) accused the regime of capitaine Ibrahim Traoré of failing to deliver on its security promises, despite the junta’s takeover in a 2022 coup. In the days following the Ugeb’s public statement, unidentified individuals in plain clothes conducted what the association described as heavy-handed and illegal arrests of several members, including the union’s president.…

Nantes handed empty-stadium ban after pitch invasion against Toulouse Football Disciplinary sanctions The Ligue de Football Professionnel disciplinary committee imposed a one-match closed-door sanction on FC Nantes following crowd disturbances during the final Ligue 1 fixture against Toulouse. FC Nantes has narrowly avoided point deductions as it prepares for its Ligue 2 campaign. The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) disciplinary committee confirmed a full match played behind closed doors at the Beaujoire stadium. Additionally, the Loire stand will remain shuttered for two further home games. The committee also ratified the…

The OGC Nice faces a critical moment as the French Football Federation (FFF) upholds its decision to play the Ligue 1 playoff return against AS Saint-Étienne behind closed doors. This sanction follows unrest during the team’s recent match against FC Metz on May 17, which has now escalated into a severe penalty for the club. The FFF’s Superior Appeals Committee has not only confirmed the initial closure sanction but has also intensified it. The Nice-based club will now play two full matches without spectators, with a third match under partial…

The arrest of imam Mohamed Kindo in Burkina Faso has ignited fierce debate over a controversial government bill aimed at regulating religious practices in the country. The incident follows similar cases in recent weeks, including the detention of imam Mahmoud Barro in Bobo Dioulasso and the mysterious death of cyber-activist Mahamadi Baguian during police custody in Ouagadougou. Controversial legislation fuels unrest The proposed law, adopted by the Council of Ministers on March 19, seeks to restrict religious freedom by banning worship practices in public spaces such as government offices, hospitals,…

What we know about the arrest of Sunni imam Mohamed Ishaq Kindo A dramatic arrest has sent shockwaves through Burkina Faso. Influential Sunni imam and preacher Mohamed Ishaq Kindo was detained in Ouagadougou on Tuesday, May 26, by masked security forces and taken to an undisclosed location. The move came just two days after Kindo publicly criticized a new religious freedoms bill adopted on March 19, according to associates and Muslim organizations close to him. The Federation of Islamic Associations of Burkina Faso (FAIB) issued a statement within hours of…