Governing Bodies
PREMIER CLUBS COULD BE STRANDED WHEN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RESUMES
The European campaigns of several English clubs have been thrown into chaos after the government confirmed a two-week quarantine will be imposed on UK arrivals.
The crackdown was announced in Friday’s daily press briefing, with those coming into the country set to undertake an isolation period of 14 days from June 8.
However, sports stars were not given an exemption from the rule – which has posed a logistics nightmare for British teams still in the Champions League and Europa League.
The authorities are said to be keen to keep any exemptions concerning international arrivals to a bare minimum – with foreign officials, hauliers and medical workers among those excused.
The measures are likely to make international travel to the UK all but impossible for foreign teams.
Real Madrid would be forced to remain in lockdown for a fortnight upon landing before being able to train and face Manchester City in the second leg of their last-16 clash.
Chelsea are also still to jet to Bavaria for their return leg with Bayern Munich – and would encounter a similar scenario when they return to England.
The return dates for the Premier League, Champions League and Europa League are yet to be confirmed, with the top flight’s Project Restart proposals continuing to be met with vocal opposition from a number of players.
But when the competition does eventually restart, the teams that will have to fly across the continent for European games are posed with a nightmare scenario.
For the next round of fixtures, Chelsea and Real Madrid may potentially have to miss out on two domestic matchweeks due to the quarantine period.
However, sports bosses appeared to have initially persuaded Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to appeal for an exemption for players.
Despite this, the minister was overruled by the Department of Health and the Cabinet Office.
According to The Sun, a government source revealed that No 10 plan for the ‘regime to be robust’.
The restrictions were introduced to help prevent a second rise in coronavirus infections from travellers – and breaches may result in a £1,000 fixed penalty notice in England, or prosecution with an unlimited fine.
City and Chelsea remain in the Champions League, although the latter appear set to crash out after suffering a heavy first-leg defeat against Bayern in February.
However, UEFA remaine hopeful of finishing the competition in just three months’ time despite the initial confusion posed by the lockdown.
The governing body may now have to seek out alternative arrangements to ensure that both ties are completed.
They will also have to consider the rest of Manchester United, Wolves and Rangers’ Europa League campaigns.
The Old Trafford outfit thumped LASK in the first leg of their last-16 tie in Austria, but are yet to welcome their opponents for the second game at Old Trafford.
There has been no major sport held in the UK since mid-March, when the lockdown started to be enforced nationwide.
And in what appeared to be a much-needed boost to morale, senior Downing Street figures appeared to have agreed that sportsmen would not be expected to adhere to the protective travelling measures.
The Sun reported that the players would have undergone rigorous testing, and would have been expected to enter isolation immediately after a positive test.
But recent developments, including the reported government U-turn have raised further questions over the rest of the campaign.
Governing Bodies
Sanusi set for record-extending tenure as Nigeria’s football politicians assemble in Asaba
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Speculations gathered ahead of the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation holding in Asaba on Friday have it that tenure elongation for the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, is a major item on the agenda.
Neither formal confirmation nor denial has been issued since one of the leading newspapers in Nigeria, ThisDay dropped the hint.
The agenda of the meeting is also not made public. Dr, Sanusi is the longest-serving General Secretary in history having been in office from 30 March 2015 making 3,476 days or nine years six months and four days.
It easily drowned that of his closest rival in tenure – Sani Toro whose tenure from 21 December 1993 to 3 May 1999 is merely 2020 days or five years, six months and 12 days.
Thus, no one had enjoyed a longer period in office than the incumbent, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi. It is speculated that the tenure will be extended as NFF has reported that all delegates have arrived in the Delta State capital by Thursday evening.
The NFF Annual General Assembly, the first of which took place 90 years ago in Lagos on 19 February 1934, is the biggest assemblage of football administrators and stakeholders in the country.
In one such meeting on 24 July 2008 in Makurdi, the football body changed its name from NFA to NFF.
This year, according to a press release by the NFF, the plenary will have in attendance, the chairmen and secretaries of football associations in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, chairmen and secretaries of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League and the Nationwide League One, as well as chairmen and secretaries of the referees’ association, players’ union and coaches’ association. This group of 88 makes up the Congress.
They are joined by the members of the NFF Executive Committee and the management team as well as former NFF Presidents and General Secretaries.
The Minister of Sports Development, John Owan Enoh, is announced as the special guest. Nigeria’s Member of the FIFA Council, Amaju Melvin Pinnick is also expected as well as a representative of the West African Football Union (WAFU B).
The Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Francis Oborevwori will declare the General Assembly open.
Venue is the Unity Hall of the Delta State Government House.
Governing Bodies
Like in Egypt, former Nigerian Olympian, Sadiq Abdulahi wants Tinubu to declare ‘State of Emergency’ in Sports
Former Nigerian tennis player and Olympian, Prof. Sadiq Abdulahi has called for drastic action to arrest the decline of Nigeria in global sporting events.
The former tennis player who is now a professor in the United States declared that the “failure to win a medal at the regular 2024 Paris Olympics, the few medals at the Paris Paralympic and the fallout at the National Youth Sports Festival has exposed the deep problems facing the sport’s sector.”
He wants Nigeria to have the same approach that the Egyptian president has taken while reacting to the country’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olypics.
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participated at the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
According to Prof. Abdulahi, the National Sports Federations charged with the preparation of elite athletes have failed to do their job despite the cry for funding from the government.
“Federal Government cannot adequately fund all the Olympics sports. It is impossible.
“By declaring a state of emergency, new people, new approaches and new funding models will be identified. More importantly, the Federal Government will redefine grassroots sports development.
“We will lay sustainable foundation for sports development.”
Continuing, he called for the return of the National Sports Commission (NSC) which enabling decree was abolished through Decree No. 7 of 1991, but came back through presidential proclamation under Sani Abacha before it was abolished again.
The original NSC was established in 1964 as National Sports Council before the promulgation of Decree 34 of 1971 which legalised it as the apex Federal Government agency to control, regulate and organize sports.
“The FG may now bring back the National Sports Commission or the National Sports Authority. Our emerging national economy with the full participation of the private sector can support this new beginning. I hope this helps.”
RELATED STORY: President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul
Governing Bodies
CAF gives Yoruba and Arabic interpretations of ‘OLA’ the Super Cup 2024 Official Match Ball
The Confédération African of Football, CAF, has given the linguistics interpretation of OLA, the confederation’s official match balls produced by Puma which has also unveiled a special edition for the Super Cup duel holding on Friday in Saudi Arabia.
According to CAF, OLA, symbolizing the dynamic and energetic nature of African football, means “wealth,” “honour,” and “respect” in Yoruba and “rise” and “success” in Arabic.
The OLA ball stands out with its vibrant design and cultural significance. “OLA”
The ball is a mix of black and gold, representing power and sophistication. The ball will be the centrepiece of the eagerly-awaited match between the two giants of African football.
NFF Communication director unfolds 20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil
African football legends, Adebayor and Aubameyang condemn Libya’s treatment of Super Eagles
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Players boycott Libyan national team
-
AFCON4 days ago
Billiat’s penalty seals Zimbabwe’s 1-0 win over Namibia
-
AFCON1 week ago
Eguavoen unfolds Super Eagles’ squad for back-to-back duel with Libya
-
AFCON6 days ago
Facts & Figures as AFCON 2025 qualifiers enter Matchday 3
-
AFCON6 days ago
AFCON 2025 in Morocco: Everything you need to know
-
AFCON5 days ago
Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri alleges poor treatment in Nigeria
-
Uncategorized7 days ago
CAF compels Kwasi Appiah to step down from Ghana FA
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Fastest World Cup final scorer is dead!