Tag: Sports News

FG Extends Tenure Of National Sports Federations Presidents

Dalung To Meet NFF Over CAF ElectionsThe Nigerian Government has amended the guidelines for the 2017 elections into National Sports Federations.

The new guidelines state that the tenure of presidents of national federations has been extended to 12 years as against the earlier proposed two terms of eight years.

Also, presidents of international sports bodies would not be eligible to contest for the presidency of the federations.

The amendment was disclosed at a meeting between the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung and the Nigeria Olympic Committee in Lagos.

Real Madrid Face Atletico In Champions League Semis

Real Madrid will take on domestic rivals, Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League with Monaco taking on Seria A giants, Juventus.

The outcome of Friday’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland means last season’s finalists – Madrid and Atletico – are facing each other for the fourth time in a row in the Champions League.

Real have come out tops in the three previous meetings, defeating Atletico in the final in 2014 and repeating the feat in 2016.

Real Madrid will host Atletico on Tuesday, May 2 and travel to Atletico on Wednesday, May 10.

For the other tie, Monaco will play Juventus at home on Wednesday May 3 and play the return leg on Tuesday, May 9.

ITTF Confirms Nigeria, Others For 2018 Youth Olympics

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), has confirmed the qualification of Nigeria, Egypt and Tunisia for the Youth Olympic Games holding in Argentina.

The Youth Olympic Games will hold in Buenos Aires Argentina from October 6 to 12, 2018.

According to the ITTF, Egypt’s duo of Youssef Abdel-Aziz and Marwa Alhodaby, Nigeria’s Tosin Oribamise and Tunisia’s Nathael Hamdoun, will represent Africa in the table tennis event at the games.

The ITTF also called on national associations to make sure they give their players adequate preparation in order for Africa to put up a good performance.

Djokovic Beats Simon In Monte Carlo

Djokovic, Kerber Top Seeds At Australian OpenWorld number two, Novak Djokovic, has survived a tough three-setter to reach the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters after defeating Gilles Simon 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.

The deciding set saw swaying fortunes, with Djokovic losing his serve in the fifth game before breaking in the next, and then again in the ninth to trail 5-4 on Simon’s serve.

Djokovic then showed his nerve, breaking serve twice to take the next three games to win the match after two hours, 33 minutes of play.

Crystal Palace Stun Chelsea At Stamford Bridge

http://www.eurosport.com

Christian Benteke’s 11th minute strike has helped Crystal Palace stun league leaders, Chelsea, by two goals to one at Stamford Bridge.

Cesc Fàbregas gave the Blues a 5th minute but two goals in two minutes from Wilfred Zaha and Benteke ensured the Eagles took home all three points.

Elsewhere, Tottenham beat Burnley 2-0 to close the gap on Chelsea to seven points.

Hull City edged West Ham 2-1, Super Eagles midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, scored Leicester City’s opening goal in their 2-0 win over Stoke City.

Manchester United and West Brom drew goalless at old Trafford.

Watford pipped Sunderland 1-0, while in the day’s lunchtime kickoff, Liverpool beat Everton by three goals to one at Anfield.

Queen’s Baton Relay Arrives Nigeria

Courtesy: BBC

The 2018 Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay, has arrived in Nigeria.

This is part of activities to herald the multi-sports event scheduled to hold from April 5 to 15, 2018 in Queensland, Australia.

The delegation of the Queen’s Baton Relay was received by officials of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Nigeria Olympic Committee.

This is the 5th time the Baton Relay will be visiting Nigeria since 2002.

Ferguson Urges Manchester United To Win Europa League

Fenerbahce, Europa League, Manchester UnitedSir Alex Ferguson has urged Manchester United to focus on winning the Europa league due to the “incentive” of qualifying for the champions league.

He believes that winning the Europa league would secure qualification for Europe’s premier club competition, and has asked that Jose Mourinho’s side should aim to claim the trophy.

“The thing is, we’ve never won the Europa League –  We never won the UEFA Cup, what it used to be.

“And we’ve got a great draw. I’m not saying it’s a certainty, but they’ve got a great chance.

“It’s still a European trophy. And if you win it, you get into the Champions League. The incentive is greater to do that,” Ferguson told ESPN.

United play Belgian side Anderlecht, away in the first leg of their Europa league quarter-final on April 13, before hosting Rene Weiler’s side at old Trafford in the return leg a week later.

Nigeria Drawn In Group B For Beach Soccer World Cup

Nigeria Drawn In Group B For Beach Soccer World CupNigeria’s beach soccer team have been drawn in group B of the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in the Bahamas.

The Beach Eagles will play European representatives Italy, Mexico from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the champions from the Asian Football Confederation.

This year’s event will be Nigeria’s fifth trip to the beach soccer world cup.

They reached the quarter-finals of the competition in 2007 and 2011.

Meanwhile, African champions, Senegal, are up against hosts Bahamas, Ecuador and Switzerland in group A.

The tournament is expected to kick off on April  27.

NBA Returns To South Africa

Adams Silver Says NBA Will Return To South AfricaNational Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner, Adam Silver, has confirmed that the league would be playing an exhibition game next season in South Africa.

In its ongoing effort to tap new markets and develop more players, the NBA will bring African players; Bismack Biyombo of the Orlando Magic, Emmanuel Mudiay of the Denver nuggets and American, C.J. Mccollum of the Portland Trail Blazers to South Africa for the August 5 showcase in which team Africa will compete against team world.

DR Congo natives, Biyombo and Mudiay, would be playing for team Africa while McCollum will compete for team world.

Full rosters of players and coaches would be announced later.

China is the NBA’s second biggest market after the United States and the league is looking for new countries to plant its flag, including non-traditional basketball markets like India and Africa.

Lagos City Marathon 2017 Is A Huge Improvement – Olopade

Lagos City MarathonThe Project Consultant, for the Lagos City Marathon, Bukola Olopade, says that the 2017 edition of the Lagos City Marathon, is a huge improvement from the maiden edition.

Following its successful conclusion, organisers have fixed February 10th, 2018 for the third edition.

While Kenyans seem to have dominated in both editions of the race, Olopade is confident that Nigerian marathoners will make their mark in the future editions.

Abraham Kiptum, who emerged as winner in the maiden edition, also came first in the men’s category, with a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes 20 seconds.

His counterparts Ronny Kipkoech Kiboss, came second in 2 hours, 15 minutes 25 seconds while Kiprotich Kiroi, completed the top three clocking 2 hours, 15 minutes, 28 seconds.

Cameroonian Fans Celebrate Team’s Victory

Cameroonian Fans Celebrate Team’s VictoryHundreds of Cameroonians are still celebrating the team’s fifth Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph in the commercial capital of Douala, Cameroon.

Supporters in Cameroon were thrilled, saying that they had broken the favourites to win Egypt, while they also praised the team, and paid tribute to the women’s team who were beaten by Nigeria in the Women’s Cup of African Nations in 2016.

Meanwhile, it was Cameroon’s first title since 2002 as they denied Egypt a triumphant return to the tournament they last won in 2010.

By this win, they inflicted a first loss on the north African side in 25 Nations Cup matches dating back to 2004.

Australian Open: Roger Federer Beats Rafael Nadal

nadal
*Photo From Eurosport

Roger Federer has captured his 18th Grand Slam championship crown after beating Rafael Nadal in 5 sets to clinch the 2017 Australian Open title.

Federer, who missed the second half of last year with a knee injury, had earlier expressed confidence that he would win and the 17th seed, won 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3.

He hit 73 winners, including 20 aces, and won 76 per cent of his first service points for victory in three hours and 37 minutes.

The win marks his first Grand Slam championship victory since he beat Andy Murray for the 2012 Wimbledon title.

Federer is the first 17th seed to capture a Grand Slam championship crown since Pete Sampras, who clinched the 2002 U.S Open title in his final professional match.

The Swiss superstar is now 18-10 in major finals, while Nadal is 14-7 lifetime in finals on the biggest stages.

Nadal, who went 4/17 in break points won, committed 28 unforced errors – 29 fewer than Federer.

The Swiss, who returned this year after a six-month injury lay-off, is now 12-23 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series.