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Thursday, January 18, 2001 - Web posted at 9:42:01 AM GMT Castle boosts Cosafa prize money SPONSORS Castle Lager have announced a major increase in prize money for the 2001 Cosafa Castle Cup, pushing the winner's purse up to R530 000 and adding a six per cent overall boost to the competition's kitty. Total prize money for the southern African championship goes up to R1,57 million for 2001, up from the R1,48 million paid out to the 11 participating countries last year. The first prize increases from the R500 000 which Zimbabwe took home last year after beating Lesotho 6-0 on aggregate in the two-legged final. The new purse for the runner-up will be R265 000 while this year' semi-finalists will each earn R130 000. A new man of the series award is to be introduced with R20 000 going to the best player of the 2001 competition. There is also a change in the annual media awards with a 25 per cent increase in prize money. Three separate media prizes will now be awarded for the best coverage of the Cosafa Castle Cup with R10 000 going to best print journalist; R10 000 to the best radio journalist and R5 000 to the best photographer. Last year R20 000 was handed out in the media category. The prize money increase is exclusive of all the costs, which Castle Lager pick up during the competition, including transportation, accommodation and player's daily allowances. The full breakdown of new prize money is as follows (with last year's figures in brackets): Winner - R530 000 (R500 000) Runner-up - R265 000 (R250 000) Semi-finalists - R130 000 each (R125 000 each) Quarter-finalists - R80 000 each (R75 000 each) First round losers - R65 000 each (R60 000 each) Fans assault Okocha, OlisehSUPER Eagles stars Austin Okocha and Sunday Oliseh were on Saturday brutally assaulted after their team's 1-0 victory over Zambia. According to Nigerian media reports, the two players were assaulted because of their poor performance in the Africa Cup qualifying game." "Okocha was singled out for punishment because of the fourth minute penalty which he lost, to the chagrin of goal-thirsty Lagos fans, while Oliseh had his own raw deal on account of his position as the captain of the team,'' reported This Day, a Nigerian on-line publication. "The mob went further to tear Oliseh's jersey as a way of registering their displeasure with the squad's outing against Zambia. '' The publication reported that the angered fans felt that the team would have recorded a resounding victory if the myriad of chances which came their way in the first half of the game had been converted. It said the fans moved into the dressing room after the encounter to attack the two key players in the squad. The two players were, however, rescued from the clutches of the angry mob, by the timely arrival of security men who drove them away before they were evacuated from the stadium to their Sheraton Hotel accommodation. The publication added that irate fans did not limit their mob action to Sportcity, but went as far as setting Lagos Liaison Office of the Nigeria Football Association ablaze, while several cars and buses belonging to the soccer authorities were vandalised. The confusion consequently led to the death of one soccer fan. The report did not, however, disclose if Zambian players and officials were also entangled in the scuffle. Nigeria won the game through a goal by Victor Agali, who plays for Hansa Rostock in Germany. Agali was making his international soccer debut. Nigeria whom Zambia hosts on March 24 now leads Group One with seven points while Madagascar are second at five. Zambia are third (three points) and at the bottom is Namibia who only have a point in their kitty. |
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