Have Your Say

Guei sent Ivorian footballers to a boot camp for a poor display

Got an opinion? Express it here!

Each week we throw up a different subject to let followers of African sport have their say.

Our next interactive edition of Fast Track, our programme on the BBC World Service, takes place on Friday 1 April, known to many pranksters as 'All Fools Day'.

In the spirit of that day, we would like you to decide on what has been the most foolish act or decision taken in African sport.

Was it that of former Ivorian head of state, General Robert Guei, to send players of the national football team to a boot camp for their poor performance at the 2000 African Cup of Nations?

Or is it the bizarre training regimen of Rudolf Straueli, South Africa's rugby coach for the 2003 World Cup?

He forced the players to wade through a freezing lake without clothing, in what was regarded as a bonding exercise.

What about the decision of Equatorial Guinea's National Olympic Committee to send Eric 'The Eel' Moussambani to the 2000 Olympics, where he humiliated himself in the swimming event?

Or do you have an authentic story that is far better?

Use the form on the right to tell us what you think.

Please send your telephone numbers (which we will keep confidential) along with your suggestions and comments.

The people with the most interesting responses will be asked to take part in the programme.

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The most foolish act or rather decision in African sports is the interference by the Nigerian government in the Football Association (FA) through decree 101. What a shame!
Adigwu Michael, Nigeria

Didier Drogba's election as Africa's second best footballer of the year. Akomolafe Andrew, Russia

The multi-million dollar transfer of Didier Drogba and his election as Africa's second best footballer of the year.
Akomolafe Bayode Andrew, Nigerian in Russia

That is enough with these kinds of questions. Why don't we vote for the most foolish subject the BBC ever came up with? Are you guys trying to ridicule Africans?
Jean-David Lassy, USA/Ivory Coast

Cameroon's decision to allow England to cheat them openly like fools in Italia 90. If it had been Nigeria or Ghana, they would have reacted like hungry lions.
David Mohammed, Sierra Leone

There have been a lot of foolish acts and decisions in African football history - the worst to me are Caf's choices for African footballer of the year. Diouf did not deserve it twice, and neither did Eto'o.
Ikenna Onyegbula, Nigerian in Canada

Nigeria's decision to disband the team after a third place finish in the 2002 Nations Cup in Mali. The coaches and a majority of the players were dismissed just four months before the World Cup. The predictable result was a pathetic performance by the country.
Aham Onyike, USA

The most foolish thing in African football is spectators rushing onto the pitch to interrupt a match simply because their team is losing. Also foolish is the criticism of indigenous coaches even when they are doing well.
Nku Peter, Nigeria

The most foolish act in African sports is the amazing paradox that some countries in Africa do not have even the minimum in sports infrastructure. Cameroon for example has established herself in the football world hall of fame but lacks a stadium to play international matches. What a disgrace!
Tabe Tangie, Douala, Cameroon

The most foolish incident in African sport in my view was the incident of "The Golden Handshake" - introduced by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as a way of replacing monetary gratification for the country's sports men and women. He believed that getting a handshake from the president was more than enough reward for an athlete who had excelled.
Chukwuemeka Afigbo, Nigeria

Gambia's President Jammeh said the rainy season is for farming, not football. Seltue Karweaye, USA

The most foolish decision taken in African sport was when Gambia's President Jammeh said the rainy season is for farming, not football, and those that disagree should go to jail. He believes football is a distraction that should only be permitted in the dry months. Only the region around the capital Banjul is exempt, because there is little arable land.
Seltue Karweaye, a Liberian residing in the USA

The most foolish act in African sport history is Cameroon's consistent inability to construct any decent sporting infrastructure. Despite brilliant performances, it is surprising that Cameroon is the only major football nation on planet earth today without an acceptable stadium for minimum play standard. Moreover, although the only gold medal in the field during the last Olympics was won by Cameroon's Francois Mbango, she went to the competition without any proper training because her country had no sporting facilities for her.
Amin George Forji, a Cameroonian living in Helsinki

It has to be Sani Abacha's withdrawal of the defending champions Nigeria from the 1996 Nations Cup in South Africa, just to spite Nelson Mandela. In the end, South Africa won the tournament and came out triumphant and an even more unified country, making Mandela even more glorious. The 1996 Super Eagles were an incredible team and could easily have won the tournament. Instead of 'winning' his war of words on the football pitch, Abacha chose the bizarre response of withdrawing the team on spurious 'security' grounds.
Wiebe Boer, Mauritania

By far the most foolish act in African sport was the decision by the Nigeria Football Association to let the Super Eagles play in makeshift playing trunks in a World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso in 1991. For one reason or another, someone had forgotten to bring the right trunks to the stadium and players had to cut their tracksuits for the match. To the bewilderment of the spectators, the players looked more like farmers than professionals.
Adetayo Isikalu, UK

In 1991, Nigeria played a World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso in Lagos. An official forgot to bring the Super Eagles' team jerseys to the stadium so, on the advice of Rashidi Yekini, Nigeria played the first half wearing tracksuit trousers they had cut short. They looked ridiculous.
Kenneth Omoera, Nigeria

I think this is a very irresponsible poll by the BBC as it means to make Africa a figure of fun. It is very disgraceful, and I think the BBC should be ashamed of this.
Kayode, Nigeria

Lucien Metomo's refusal to be part of a wall to defend a free-kick during a friendly match in November 2004 with Germany is the most foolish act we can ever expect from any defender.
Khumbah Efuange, Cameroon

I think the decision by the then Football Association of Tanzania (Fat) to send to Nairobi a witchdoctor when the national team, The Taifa Stars, played Kenya in the preliminary stage of the 2006 World Cup qualifiers. The witchdoctor supposedly promised that he would help the Taifa Stars win the match and proceed to the group stage of World Cup qualifying. The Taifa Stars lost the match 3-0.
No name, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

The Nigerian Technical Director walked to the goal post to 'evacuate' an object suspected to be 'juju'. Opeyemi Ajala, Nigeria

The 2000 Nations Cup quarter-final between the Super Eagles and Senegal when the Nigerian Technical Director, Kashimawo Laloko, walked to the Senegalese goal post to 'evacuate' an object suspected to be 'juju' which had prevented the Eagles from scoring against the Lions. Curiously, after the object was removed, the Eagles got a brace from the emerging Julius Aghahowa. Yet to me that action of the Technical Director remains the most bizarre!
Opeyemi Ajala, Nigeria

The most foolish act came in 1984 when the then military governor of Oyo State, Colonel Oladayo Popoola, disbanded Shooting Stars of Ibadan for losing the African Cup of Champions Clubs final to Zamalek of Egypt 3-0 on aggregate. The reconstituted IICC - which the man must have expected to do better - with too many new players was relegated the following season.
'Gbenga Aina, a Nigerian living in America

Caf president Issa Hayatou's decision to run for the Fifa presidency in 2002, as he had not even done much for the body he was supposed to head. He was running for presidency of a world body when he struggled to handle the African one! How would he have handled it?
Ruth Nduta, a Kenyan living in the United States

The most foolish thing that has happened and that can happen is when spectators at a football match become angry with their team because of its poor performance. This happened to my country Liberia during the recent World Cup qualifier against Senegal in Monrovia when the Lone Star failed to scored in a 3-0 defeat. God bless Liberia for a better Lone Star and another George Weah.
Jonathan M Saah, Liberia

The 2000 African Cup of Nations in Nigeria where the referee disallowed a perfectly good penalty kick from the Super Eagles' Victor Ikpeba. It hit the crossbar, fell behind the goalline but alas the referee said 'no goal'. As a result, Cameroon got that trophy for good as both countries had won it twice but the Lions took it for a third time.
Prince Harold Longe, a Nigerian in the United States

An athlete was accused of being male and pretending to be female. Frederick Agyemang, South Africa

When Agnes Afiyo, a well-known athlete in Ghana, was accused of being male and having pretended to be female so that she could compete in women's races. Nothing has been said of this case to date and no one knows if the allegations are true or not. But the decision of the Ghana Athletics Association still stands and she is banned from all competitions. This is a real loss to the nation.
Frederick Agyemang, South Africa

Guei's decision to send players of the national football team to a boot camp for their poor performance at the 2000 African Cup of Nations gets my vote for the most foolish act in African sport.
Dawi Dibal, United States

Being a Nigerian and living in Nigeria until the late 90's, the most foolish act in the history of football in Africa is the refusal of a single man - the late dictator General Sani Abacha - to allow our the Super Eagles to defend the African Cup of Nations they won in Tunisia in 1994. His foolish and dictatorial decision prevented the Super Eagles from playing in South Africa in 1996 because Abacha was mad at the African living legend Nelson Mandela for criticising Abacha's military regime. Why can't sports be separated from politics so that the people of Africa can at least enjoy football, which seems to be the main source of happiness for them?
Tope Idowu, USA

The leadership of Caf and maintaining Issa Hayatou as Caf president is a very big mistake and an injustice to football in Africa. I wish they will look into this issue closely and see that this man is not supposed to be there.
John Mayor, UK