Connect with us

CK Updates

Mokwena denies spying allegations – 2025/26 CAF Champions League

Published

on

Rulani Mokwena coach of MC Alger during the CAF Champions League 2025/26 MC Alger Press Conference at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on the 13 February 2026 ©Sydney Mahlangu BackpagePix

by
Staff Reporter

Saturday Feb 14, 2026. 10:17

Advertisement

MC Alger head coach Rulani Mokwena has denied accusations that he obtained tactical information about Mamelodi Sundowns and their preparations ahead of the two teams’ decisive CAF Champions League clash on Saturday.

It is alleged that assistant coach and performance analyst Mario Masha leaked information regarding his team’s plans to Mokwena, whom we worked under at Chloorkop.

He is currently suspended pending an internal investigation at the club.

Mokwena, who described himself as a “product of Mamelodi Sundowns”, rose through the coaching ranks at the club from youth level, all the way to the first team, where he worked as an assistant coach. He left for Orlando Pirates before returning to the Brazilians and eventually becoming head coach in October 2022.

In the pre-match press conference at Loftus on Friday, Mokwena read a prepared statement, denying any accusations of espionage.

He started off by saying: “I think the work that we’ve done at Mamelodi Sundowns deserves a little bit better than what has happened in the last couple of weeks.”

“Many things can be said about me personally as a human being, as a coach, but never that I do not invest in my career, never that I do not take my job very seriously, never that I don’t work very, very hard, and never that I do not care about details. Those who know me understand how obsessive I am about preparation,” Mokwena stated.

Advertisement

“Reputation is built over years of conduct and not through anonymous screenshots. And let me state this very, very clearly. Mario [Masha] has not given me any, any technical or confidential information about Sundowns.”

Mokwena stated that while he and Masha did have communication, it was regarding the assistant’s UEFA licences, past work done together as well as European technical and tactical ideas such as those pioneered by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

“At no point, and I repeat, at no point, were current Sundowns technical plans or confidential material shared with me,” said Mokwena.

He came to the defence of the under-fire analyst and assistant coach.

“Mario is a great man, someone I consider a friend, a former colleague, but above all, a hardworking professional and a family man. I would never ask him to compromise his integrity for me. I would never ask anyone to risk their career for a competitive advantage.”

The 39-year-old also believed the allegations to be insulting towards the work and preparation done by his own technical team, undermining their own abilities and professionalism.

The coach closed by stating: “South African football has been built through years of sacrifice and great leadership. We must be very careful not to allow unverified allegations to damage reputations and institutions that have taken decades, decades, great sacrifice to build by great men. I fully remain focused on my club, my players, my staff, and the responsibility we have for the upcoming match. My history, my success, and many of my failures, my work, and my integrity speaks for itself.”

Advertisement

Entering the final matchday of the CAF Champions League, Al Hilal S.C. is atop group C with eight points, MC ASlger follows next on seven points, Sundowns has 6 points and Saint-Éloi Lupopo has five points.

In order to advance, Sundowns must win while MC Alger could go through with a draw, depending on the result of the group’s other fixture, but will want to make sure with a victory.

The two sides will meet at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday, kicking-off at 3pm CAT.

By Nic Gleeson

CK Updates

Commonwealth Games: Megan Keith claims bronze for Scotland in 5000m infront of 100-year-old grandad

Published

on

Megan Keith

Given Keith herself was a tad surprised she scooped up a medal here, her grandad’s take on the event ought to be a good one.

The 10,000m is her preference, but the longer distance final did not go to plan on Monday and she finished seventh.

The Inverness athlete said she was faced with the ‘can Megan win a medal?’ talk earlier this week, but with that weight of expectation lifted – combined with experience of the home crowd and “the help of two other Scots in the race” – she was freed from the shackles to soar to a classy and courageous run.

“If you look at Monday on paper, that was pretty disappointing,” the 24-year-old added.

“I don’t think you’d put me in the running for a 5km medal since the 10km is normally closer to being my strength, so that definitely helped, the removal of that pressure.

“I think I knew if I felt horrendous and dropped out or fell off the pace again it wouldn’t really matter so I may as well shoot my shot.”

And shoot she did. Biding her time in the middle of the congested pact, Keith made her move with four laps to go, weaving past early pacesetters from Kenya and Uganda.

Advertisement

She was afforded a bit of breathing space with two hurls around the track to go. But as expected, the exceptional Australian duo of Rose Davies – who made it a double gold at these Games with her 10km – and Jessica Hull, the 1500m Olympic silver medallist, entered another gear in the final lap.

While the cameras focused on the tremendous tussle between the pair in the matching yellow vests, the majority of the crowd had their eyes a wee bit further back, bawling at Keith on the final stretch.

She was home safe and sound. And swiftly searching for a saltire.

Once that was draped over her shoulders, and she’d caught up with fellow Scots Eloise Walker and Laura Muir, who finished 15th and 16th respectively, she was darting back around the track – the wrong way, this time – in search of her grandad.

He was eventually found for a quick hug, but a bigger debrief – and the declaration, surely, that this topped any other Scotstoun occasion – is still to be had.

Continue Reading

CK Updates

Commonwealth Games 2026: England netball team beat South Africa to reach semi-finals

Published

on

Fran Williams and Olivia Tchine, wearing England's red netball jersey, celebrate after beating South Africa to reach the semi-final by jumping in the air and hugging each other

England’s netballers reached the Commonwealth Games semi-finals after producing a pulsating comeback to beat South Africa 58-54.

With both sides tied on six points but the Roses ahead of the Proteas on goal average in pool A’s second spot going into the game, England had to avoid defeat to progress.

Elmere van der Berg was in fine form early on to fire South Africa into a six-goal lead at the end of the first quarter with 16 of her nation’s 17 goals, leaving England facing an uphill task.

But some excellent and aggressive defensive work by second-quarter substitute Halimat Adio helped England spring multiple counter-attacks to claw their way back to just 29-28 down at the halfway stage.

The Roses started to take control in the third quarter, opening up a seven-goal lead at one stage before the Proteas netted three times in quick succession to go into the final 15 minutes 43-39 behind.

Both sides then went blow for blow in a compelling final quarter with 15 goals apiece, but 2018 champions England held on to ensure they maintained their record of qualifying for every Commonwealth Games semi-final since the inaugural netball event in 1998.

England will face New Zealand in the last four on Saturday, while South Africa’s wait for a first semi-final since 1998 goes on.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

CK Updates

Fifa World Cup: Uefa to boycott tournament if Gianni Infantino’s investment plans go through

Published

on

Spain celebrate winning the  men's World Cup

In a statement released after Thursday’s meeting, which was held virtually and chaired by president Aleksander Ceferin, Uefa said it and its 55 member associations “stand as one”.

“We unanimously and unequivocally reject Fifa’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other Fifa competitions to private investors,” it said.

On Wednesday, Uefa had accused Fifa of using football “to enrich themselves and their friends”.

Its statement on Thursday was even more damning, calling it “irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret” and “without any meaningful consultation” with those who steward the game.

It added: “This is not merely a profound failure of leadership, but an abdication of Fifa’s duty as the custodian of world football.

“National associations around the world are now presented with an ultimatum: accept the irreversible capture of football’s greatest competitions or bear the consequences.

“This is not a ‘democratic decision’, but governance by intimidation – an act of coercion unworthy of an institution entrusted with the stewardship of the global game.”

Advertisement

While Uefa only accounts for a quarter of Fifa’s membership, it does include most of the world’s most successful teams.

Six of the eight quarter-finalists – including winners Spain – at this summer’s World Cup were European. In the 2022 and 2018 editions, the figures were five and six respectively.

Of the 23 World Cups to have taken place to date, 13 have been won by European countries.

Continue Reading

Trending

© 2025 - CK Sports UG. All rights reserved.