MTN Elite One/Two Championships Resume This Weekend

The MTN Elite One and Elite Two championships which have been on recess for over two months will resume this weekend as clubs presidents were paid on Monday.

The payment of the subventions was the precondition given by the club presidents for the resumption of the championship. In a related development, the late match counting for the away leg quarter-finals of the Cup of Cameroon pitting Caiman of Douala against Coton Sport of Garoua that was initially due to take place today has been postponed to July 11th.

Kanoute Joins China Exodus

Mali international Fredi Kanoute has become the latest African star to join a Chinese club. The 34-year-old striker has signed a two-year deal with Beijing Guoan, according to his former side Sevilla, who he left at the end of last season. The Beijing club confirmed that the 2007 African Footballer of the Year had completed his move but gave no details of the contract.

Kanoute follows Didier Drogba and Yakubu Ayegbeni in moving to China. Yakubu moved last week to join a side in Guangzhou, closely following Drogba, who will play for a team in Shanghai.

Lacina Traore Set for Anzhi Move

Ivorian striker Lacina Traore is set to join Anzhi Makhachkala from fellow Russian side Kuban Krasnodar, after both clubs agreed a transfer fee. The highly-rated forward joins a number of African players at Anzhi, including Samuel Eto'o and Christopher Samba. Traore had been linked with a moved to Liverpool before agreeing to join the big-spending Caucasus-based club. Anzhi are bankrolled by billionaire Suleiman Kerimov and coached by former Russia boss Guus Hiddink. "Traore's transfer is totally in line with the goals that our club has set this season, achieving the highest possible results in the Russian league as well as in Europe," Anzhi general director Aivaz Kaziakhmedov said.

Caf Rejects TP Mazembe's Request

The Confederation of African Football has rejected a request from DR Congo's TP Mazembe for their opening Champions League game against Al Ahly to be moved from Egypt. The game will now go ahead in Cairo on Saturday as planned but the game will be played behind closed doors.

Last month Mazembe's president Moise Katumbi said they had security concerns about the game, following the recent elections in Egypt. At the time Katumbi said: "We are going to follow what Caf has to say."