Governing Bodies
VAR FAILURE HEADLINES PREMIER LEAGUE RESUMPTION
Bosses from goal line technology providers, HawkEye have issued a grovelling apology to Sheffield United, Aston Villa and the Premier League after the Blades were denied what appeared to be an obvious goal on the opening night of the resumption of the top flight.
Responding to the controversy in a post-match statement, HawkEye claimed that the players and goalpost had obscured the sightlines of seven cameras and insisted that the failure had never happened in more than 9,000 previous games.
‘During the first half of Aston Villa v Sheffield United match at Villa Park, there was a goal line incident where the ball was carried over the line by Aston Villa goalkeeper, No. 25 Nyland,’ they said.
‘The match officials did not receive a signal to the watch nor earpiece as per the Goal Decision System (GDS) protocol. The seven cameras located in the stands around the goal area were significantly occluded by the goalkeeper, defender, and goalpost.
‘This level of occlusion has never been seen before in over 9,000 matches that the Hawk-Eye Goal Line Technology system has been in operation.
‘The system was tested and proved functional prior to the start of the match in accordance with the IFAB Laws of The Game and confirmed as working by the match officials.
‘The system has remained functional throughout. Hawk-Eye unreservedly apologises to the Premier League, Sheffield United, and everyone affected by this incident.’
Villa goalkeeper Orjan Nyland flapped at a dangerous inswinging left-wing cross before seeming to carry the ball over the line when team-mate Keinan Davis bumped into him.
Fans and pundits were baffled as replays seemed to demonstrate that the ball had comfortably crossed the line and commentators questioned why a VAR check had not been carried out.
Speaking as the Premier League returned after a suspension of more than three months due to the coronavirus pandemic, former England and Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp told Sky Sports: ‘Incredibly lucky – we normally talk about goalline technology as being perfect. You trust it, but it certainly wasn’t perfect here.
‘It went missing and Villa have got away with it.
‘It is a really spiteful ball in by Oli Norwood and very difficult to deal with. Nyland never looks comfortable for one second when it is coming in and he loses it for a second and then manages to get hold of it and then is pushed into his own goal.’
Ex-Villa midfielder Ian Taylor chuckled ruefully as his fellow pundit told him that his former side had ‘got away with one there, mate.’
‘It is never a goal, Jamie,’ laughed Taylor. ‘We have got away with one there.’
Redknapp added: ‘I cannot understand why they have not gone to VAR. I was over that side and it was the same passage of play.’
United’s official Twitter account attempted to see the funny side of an apparent error that has the potential to cost them dearly in their pursuit of qualifying for Europe in their first season in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship, cheerfully observing: ‘It wasn’t working.’
Visiting manager Chris Wilder was seen remonstrating with referee Michael Oliver in the tunnel at half-time as the United boss attempted to ascertain whether speculation that the technology, which tells the referee when the ball has crossed the line via his watch, had failed.
The Premier League has confirmed that Oliver’s watch did buzz at half-time after testing it rather than a delayed reaction to the first-half effort.
Sportsmail understands discussions are ongoing to find out what happened with regards to the goal.
-Daily Mail
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.
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