Cocan to hold  AYC TV-rights negotiations
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The local organising committee of the forthcoming African Youth Championships due in Kigali from January 18-February 1, 2009 is set to enter into talks with broadcasting rights Sport 5 this Thursday.

An agreement is expected to be reached in order to allow the committee gets local sponsors to bankroll the two-week event. 

The committee’s (Cocan) spokesman Jules Kalisa recently said that nothing official has been reached between the two parties as far as broadcasting live matches to the local audience is concerned.

"Local radio stations and TVR (Rwanda Television) have not yet acquired broadcasting rights from Sport Five but negotiations will begin on Thursday  as soon as they (Sport Five arrive in the country,” said Kalisa.

It is however reported that Cocan and SportFive would reach a decision before the championship draws are held on November 28.

The local electronic media is yet to enter any form of agreement with French-based SportFive over-the-air television and radio rights for next year’s Youth Championships.

In an interview with Times Sport, the Minister of Sports and Culture, Joseph Habineza said that he was contented with the infrastructural preparations ahead of the event in its 16th edition.

"As the chairman of the taskforce I’m happy because 80% of the work in regard to infrastructure and everything needed to host next year’s U-20 edition has been done,” Habineza said.

Last year, cabinet endorsed a cabinet paper on the formation of Task force to over see the U-20 African Youth event.

The task force is charged with over seeing a successful staging of the continental showpiece being staged in the East African regions for the first time.

The taskforce will compose of members from different government bodies like ministries of Sports, Health, Infrastructure and Finance.

In a bid to stage a successful event, an organising committee (Cocan) was set up with Ferwafa president Brig. Gen. John Bosco Kazura its head.

Kalisa said that the organizing committee can now keep a smile on their faces after realising drastic improvements in the infrastructure (stadiums, accommodation and transport).

According to the Cocan spokesman, six hotels have been earmarked to offer accommodation to teams, journalists and delegates from Fifa and Caf.

The hotels include; Serena, Novotel, Mille Collines, Gorilla, Stipp and Top Tower hotels respectively.

International media whose expenses are not catered for by the continental football body (CAF) will foot their accommodation expenses.

He also said that Cocan has received offers from different transport companies to transport the teams, officials and the fans.

With a directive that all facilities should meet Fifa standards, King Faycal hospital was chosen by Caf to handle any cases that need medical attention during the two-week long event.

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