African Super Champion Medalist and goal-king in the last Under-17 Championship in Switzerland, Ghana's Ishmael Addo has been nominated as the Young African Talent of the Year 2000 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The Award is in recognition of Addo's excellent performance both at club and national levels. Other nominees in this category are Samuel Eto of Cameroun and Tunisia's Ali Zitouni.

Ishmael Addo's club, Accra Hearts of Oak has also been nominated for the African Fair Play and African Team award for the Year 2000. CAF has also recognised the Nigerian National Team and spectators of Kumasi for the African Fair Play Award.

Accra Hearts of Oak's coach, Sir Cecil Jones Attuquayefio who also doubles as coach of the National Team, the Black Stars, has been nominated as the African Coach of the Year 2000 together with Jean-Paul Akono and Pierre Lechantre, both of Cameroun.

Attuquayefio's club, Accra Hearts of Oak has also been nominated for the African Team of the Year 2000 together with the National Team of Cameroun, winners of the Can 2000 and its Under - 23 Olympic Team, winners of the Sydney 2000. Patrick Mboma of Cameroun was also nominated for the Best Goal of the Year 2000.

This was in recognition of the goal he scored against France in October 2000. Other nominees in this category are Austin Okocha of Nigeria for his goal against Morocco in February 2000 and Thabo Mngomeni of South Africa for his goal against Congo in September, 2000. In the women's division, Mercy Akide of Nigeria, Desire Ellis of South African and Florence Obagbemi of Nigeria were nominated for the Africa Women Footballers of the Year 2000.

The Award, initiated by CAF, is aimed at raising the levels of pride and honour in African football amongst fans of the game on the continent and elsewhere in the world. The Award is also to recognise the best and the brightest and bestow honour on those helping, both on and off the field, to make African soccer a force to reckon with wherever the game is played. The inaugural ceremony of the Award is set for Johannesburg on May 22, 2000. It is to rotate in different African countries each year after this year's event.

African football legends in the name of Roger Milla, Hossam Hassan and the former Egyptian soccer Magician, Mahmoud El Khaltib would be among others to be honoured at the first-ever African Football Awards ceremony. The Team of the Century Prize to Cameroun and the Club of the Century Prize to Al Ahli of Egypt would also be taken care of by CAF. The Minister of Tourism, Hon. Hawa Yakubu, who launched the ward on behalf of Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama in Accra, commended CAF for initiating the Award

AFRICAN TEAM OF THE YEAR 2000. Nominated: Cameroon national team (CAN 2000winners), Cameroon Under-23 Olympic team, Hearts of Oak (Ghana)

AFRICAN COACH OF THE YEAR 2000 Nominated: Jean-Paul Akono (Cameroon), Jones Attuquayefio (Ghana), Pierre Lechantre (Cameroon)

AFRICAN WOMEN FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR 2000 Nominated: Mercy Akide (Nigeria), Desire Ellis (South Africa), Florence Obagbemi (Nigeria)

AFRICAN FAIR PLAY AWARD FOR 2000 Nominated: Hearts of Oak, Nigerian national team, Spectators of Kumasi, Ghana.

AFRICAN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AWARD 2000 Nominated: Asec Abidjan (Cote d’ Ivoire), Centre Sportif Salif Keita (Mali), Mathare United, (Kenya)

YOUNG AFFRICAN TALENT OF 2000 Nominated: Ishmael Addo (Ghana), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Ali Zitouni (Tunisia)

BEST GOAL OF THE YEAR 2000 Nominated: Patrick Mboma (Cameroon v France, October 2000) Thabo Mngomeni (South African v Congo, September 2000), Austin Okoacha (Nigeria v Morocco, February 2000)

BEST SAVE OF THE YEAR 2000 Nominated: Khalid Fouhami (Morocco v Nigeria, February 2000), Idriss Carlos Kameni(Cameroon v Spain, September 2000), Ronnie Kamelelo (Mamelodi Sundowns v Esperance, September 2000)

BEST AFRICAN FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR 2000 Recipient: Patrick Mboma

NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR 2000: CAMEROON Recipient: Roger Milla

CLUB OF THE CENTURY: AL AHLY Recipient: Mahmound El Khatib

There will also be two other awards handed out on the evening: the first, an African Soccer Career Achievement Award and the other a Special Recognition Award.