The 1997 year group of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), “GIJ '97 Supreme” Alumni, has donated 1000 quantities of notepads and dairies to the institute as part of the homecoming activities of the group.

The Minister of Youth and Sports designate, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, who made the donation on behalf of the group, expressed delight in giving back to the premier journalism training institute that helped shaped the lives of members.

The group also promised donating jerseys,footballs and other sporting kits to the institute.

According to him, the group intends to offer more support to the institute to facilitate its development.

Crystal Palace have signed striker Emmanuel Adebayor on a free transfer until the end of the season.

Adebayor, 31, was available after being released by Tottenham in September and has scored 94 Premier League goals for Spurs, Arsenal and Manchester City.

Britain has two Grand Slam singles semi-finalists for the first time since 1977 after victories for Johanna Konta and Andy Murray at the Australian Open.

Konta continued her remarkable run with a 6-4 6-1 win over China's Zhang Shuai in the quarter-finals and next faces German seventh seed Angelique Kerber.

Konta, ranked 47th, is the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final since Jo Durie made the US Open last four in 1983.

The chairman of the Premier League Board (PLB), Ashford Tettey-Oku, says they are awaiting the green light from the Executive Committee (ExCo) of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to officially release the fixtures for upcoming league for the 2015/16 season scheduled to commence on February 20.

The ExCo’s endorsement, according to Mr Tettey-Oku, was in compliance with Article 68 of the GFA statute, which requires the ExCo members to scrutinise the fixtures once generated before giving their endorsement for subsequent release.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic on Tuesday, the newly-appointed PLB boss said they had already generated the fixtures with their computer software but the PLB would ensure they were released as soon as the ExCo members were satisfied with them.

Ghana’s world title prospect, Raymond Commey, has secured a chance to annex the World Boxing Authority (WBA) International super bantamweight title.

Commey takes on Jun Qiu Xiao in a bout scheduled for February 12 at the Olympic Park Lunch, Zhou, China.

Information gathered by the GNA Sports indicated that the chances of the Ghanaian towards the world title would be enhanced if he defeated Xiao.

Former Chairman of Accra Hearts of Oak, Harry Zakkour, says he is not ready to take-over the club because it has been run into the ground by the current Board Chairman and majority shareholder, Togbe Afede XIV.

Togbe Afede, after enduring endless criticisms from the club's former management members, told the club's Annual General Meeting last November that he was ready to trade off his majority stake in the club, urging fans to buy him out.

However, Mr Zakkour, a vocal critic of Togbe Afede's management style, told the Graphic Sports yesterday in a telephone interview that the majority shareholder only wanted to do away with the club because he had ruined it.

"After spoiling the club, he wants to give the club out? It won't happen," an irritated Mr Zakkour said.

Barely a week after President John Dramani Mahama released his first reshuffle list, which indicated that Dr Mustapha Ahmed, Minister of Youth and Sports, would make way for Nii Lante Vanderpuye, some employees of the ministry have expressed worry over the rate of changes at their ministry, especially Dr Ahmed, whom they describe as “a father with an excellent human relations”. 

Yesterday, the Graphic Sports visited the offices of the ministry to appraise itself of how the workers were preparing for the exit of Dr Ahmed as well as the arrival and reception of the new minister and it was clear that the employees were unhappy with the removal of the Member of Parliament for Ayawaso North.

Newly promoted Premier League side, Techiman City Football Club, have appealed to the Premier League Board (PLB) of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to give them a special dispensation to register some additional players to enable them be make a debut in the league.

After months of legal tussle, the Techiman-based club were cleared and declared the legitimate champions of Zone Three of the Division One League and thus qualified to play in this season's Premier League.

However, uncertain of what their fate would be in the legal case, TCFC though beat the January 20 registration deadline, could not make any strong recruitment and are thus asking the special dispensation from the FA to beef up their squad.

Weightlifting is likely to add to Ghana’s 19 medal haul in the last All African Games (AAG) in Congo as Nigeria female lifter, Elizabeth Onuah, tested positive for using a banned substance during the games.

According to a statement posted on the website of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), after the World Anti-doping Association had conducted a series of tests on the athletes, the Nigerian athlete tested positive for a banned substance.

The Managing Director of Accra Hearts of Oak, Gerald Ankrah, last Monday handed in his resignation in a drama that insiders say is the result of frustrations he has endured in the last months of his tenure.

Gerald’s bomshell coming few hours before a scheduled board meeting of the club last Monday has been described by a source close to the club as “something that was expected long before he handed in his resignation”.

He disclosed that a myriad of problems were weighing heavily on the former MD that militated against his day- today functions as the manager of the club.

“This is one MD constantly feeling humiliated by happenings at the board, before his players, as well as the supporters.”

Premier League clubs have sent a passionate appeal to football fans in the country to renew their passion for the game by attending local league matches when the new season begins on February 20.

This, according to the clubs, will not only help revive the interest in the game, but also help them raise money to support the clubs in the face of the current situation where there is no sponsorship for the Premier League.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, most senior club officials who pleaded anonymity, expressed worry about the apparent lack of interest in the local league compared to the interest fans have generated for foreign leagues, especially the top competitions in Europe, a situation which they also described as having had 'dire financial consequence on their finances so far as gate proceeds were concerned.'

Nigeria has crashed out of this year’s CHAN in Rwanda after they lost 1-0 to Guinea in a final Group C match in Rubavu yesterday.

Tunisia also thrashed Niger 5-0 to win Group C on five points, while Guinea, also on five points, finished a runners-up.

Nigeria was third on four points and Niger finished bottom with a point.

Ibrahima Sankhon put Guinea in front just before halftime, when he exploited poor Nigeria defending to score from inside the box.

Nigeria did not have clear sight at the Guinea goal with Osas Okoro wasting possibly the Eagles best chance when he elected to shoot from inside the box when he had several other free teammates to pass to.

Sunderland have offered £10m and striker Fabio Borini for Swansea City forward Andre Ayew, Sky sources understand.

The Black Cats have been pursuing Ayew for several weeks and are understood to have made an initial approach for the player 10 days ago.

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri believes a tough February fixture list could come to define the club's fairytale bid for the Premier League title.

Ranieri's men returned to the top of the table with a dominant 3-0 win over Stoke City last Saturday, before watching nearest rivals Manchester City and Arsenal drop points.

Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova for the 18th time in a row to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.

The defending champion, seeded number one and chasing a 22nd Grand Slam title, saw off fifth seed Sharapova 6-4 6-1 at Melbourne Park.