Governing Bodies
NIGERIA SPORTS MINISTRY LOCKS NATIONAL STADIUM IN LAGOS
The quest of most users of the National stadium in Lagos to return to their usual activities met a brick wall as the old edify remained closed on the order of the Minister for Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare.
According to ThisDay newspapers, the 48-year old Sports Complex had witnessed its first major closure since it was commissioned in 1972 for the 2nd African Games hosted by Nigeria due to Covid-19 ravaging the human race on the face of the earth.
The Federal Government on the 22nd of March 2020 announced lockdown of major areas including Lagos and the follow up was the directive from the Sports Ministry that all its complex nationwide be closed till a suitable date.
But following the relax of the lockdown and subsequent guidelines released by the Governor of Lagos State Babajide Sanwo-Olu over the weekend, sports men and women, fun seekers and other regular visitors to the arena met a brick wall as the gates leading to the complex remained closed even to the staff of the Ministry.
THISDAY checks on Monday gathered that the Ministry officials are acting on the order of the Sports Minister and same thing applied to other stadiums in all the geo-political zones.
But due to the six-week lockdown, the abandoned complex had gone from bad to worse and overgrown by weeds and very untidy for habitat. But officials of the ministry engaged private firm to help fumigate the entire complex to avoid another epidemic after the lockdown.
“The stadium for now cannot be opened to visitors and staff of the ministry because of the situation we have at hand now. We are aware that a lot of people visit the complex for different reasons but in a situation that it may be difficult to control most of the activities was the main reason why it will remain closed for now.
“Last Saturday, we have ensured that the entire arena was fumigated so that when normalcy resumes, we won’t be challenged for any form of health hazard and we want plead with those with legitimate reasons for usage to the stadium to bear with the authority, “a top official of the ministry explained to THISDAY yesterday.
Aside the staff of the Sports Ministry and National Institute for Sports (NIS), complex on daily basis also play host to individuals in both corporate world and down trodden to seek survival with daily activities.
While the corporate class usually come in after office hours to unwind and expand their contacts in various businesses, the arena also accommodates artisans, area boys, vehicles learners, jogger outfits, petty traders, chorographers and sports men and women for their daily routine.
“If the situation improves after this partial lockdown, the complex could be opened for legitimate users because government also wants to enforce strict usage of the stadium while awaiting total renovation and takeover.
“For now nobody is allowed in the stadium and anyone or group of people found within and arrested could face the charges of vandalism,” the official explained.
However, some of the visitors who made frantic efforts to gain access yesterday are those whose either abandoned their vehicles due to mechanical faults and hoped that the lockdown will not last much and the store owners whose fear were towards vandals and not sure of what they may have lost all through the lock out.
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
Visit the Sports Village Square Channel:
UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
Visit the Sports Village Square Channel:
https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
Morocco’s Saibari Joins World Cup Fast-Goal Elite with Scotland Winner
Koeman Gets Revenge as Netherlands Thrash Sweden 5-1 at World Cup
BET9ja FACT FILE
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup2 days ago
‘Most Oppressed Team’: Iran Set for FIFA Showdown Over Travel Rules
- World Cup5 days ago
Back in Canada After 39 Years: A Return to Where the Journey Began
- World Cup1 week ago
Atlas Lions Roar Again: Morocco Hold Five-Time Champions, Brazil In Another World Cup Statement
- World Cup5 days ago
Doku Faces World Cup-or-Fatherhood Dilemma as Belgium Star Awaits First Child
- World Cup6 days ago
Tunisia Become Second African Casualty as Sweden Hit Five in World Cup Rout
- World Cup6 days ago
Salah Eyes Birthday Gift as Egypt Seek Historic World Cup Breakthrough Against Belgium
- World Cup6 days ago
Advocaat Set to Make World Cup History as Curaçao Face Germany
- World Cup1 week ago
Ghana Protests Canada’s Visa Denial to Thomas Partey Ahead of World Cup Clash