$90,000 each for Chipolopolo boys if they retain cup

Government has announced that Chipolopolo players will each get US$90,000 if they retain the AFCON this year.

Youth and Sport minister Chishimba Kambwili announced this in South Africa on Sunday.

President Michael Sata and his wife Christine Kaseba also met the players at Protea Hotel in Nelspruit where they are staying.

Sata told the team to win the tournament again to honour the national team which perished in Gabon about 20 years.

“You people you need to reflect. You have a debt to pay. We lost a strong team in Gabon who were young like you and you have to prove that our brothers did not die in vain in Gabon,” he said.
He said he decided to visit the team to deliver a message from the Zambia that they were confident that the team was going to retain the prestigious continental trophy.

And Minister of Youth and Sport Chishimba Kambwili has announced that the players will each get US$90,000 if they retain the cup.

Kambwili announced this immediately after the President delivered his goodwill message to the players.

He further said each player will get US$20,000 if they qualify to the finals of the 2013 AFCON tournament.

And Football Association of Zambia president Kalusha Bwalya says the success of the team has been based on the organization between his association and the Ministry of Sport.

Bwalya said the player were disciplined and determined to retain the cup.Meanwhile, national team Coach Herve Renard, said the team was ready to kick off the tournament tomorrow because it was physically and mentally prepared.

Renard said the President’s visit to the team was a big morale booster to the team adding that it underscored the support of the Zambian people.

And team captain Christopher Katongo has thanked the President for the visit saying it was the first time in history for a President to visit the team in camp.

Zambia is playing against Ethiopia tomorrow before meeting other group C mates Nigeria and Burkina Faso later this month.

Other teams jostling for the trophy are South Africa, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Ghana, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Morocco and Tunisia.

The rest are Central African Republic, Togo and Mali.

Group A teams have one point each as they all drew nil-nil yesterday. The group A teams are South Africa, Cape Verde, Angola and Morocco.