Governing Bodies
Top Nigerian football league clubs may forfeit home grounds
Home grounds nominated by seven Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clubs have been adjudged not suitable to host matches of the 2022/23 season except they improve conditions of stated areas where defects were observed by stadium facility inspectors.
It was noted that till date, Plateau United and Gombe United are yet to submit to the facility inspections and have not communicated any reasons for their failure to do so.
Lobi Stars, Abia Warriors, Rangers, Wikki Tourists, Niger Tornadoes, Sunshine Stars and El-kanemi Warriors are the clubs that have been notified that their facility fail short of the Club Licensing requirements.
Worst hit however, are Lobi Stars, Abia Warriors and Niger Tornadoes which the inspectors noted in separate reports require serious and extensive makeover works to meet required minimal standards for approval.
Majority of the facilities at the seven grounds nominated by the clubs were found not to be suitable and these range from poor lighting, bad playing turfs, unsuitable conveniences for fans in the general area and obsolete scoreboards. Also found below standards are the changing rooms for players and match officials, Medical rooms, meeting rooms and water supply.
Other defects in the case of Lobi Stars, Abia Warriors, Niger Tornadoes and Sunshine Stars are poor playing pitches, defective scoreboards and poor sanitary conditions around and inside the stadium.
Lobi Stars were told that “the playing pitch, which is synthetic, was found not to be in ideal condition with lots of bad segments needing proper attention or reinforcement”.
“The Aper Aku stadium lacks a readily available alternate power source, vide a generator.
Water supply is not sufficient in the stadium and its environs and the overhead tank in the stadium needs urgent attention as the tank can no longer serve its purpose”.
For Abia Warriors, the report noted that “the field of play at the stadium is still undergoing a replacement. There are no functional floodlights and the general lighting in the stadium is poor. There is no electronic scoreboard, and the manual scoreboard available is in a dire condition”.
“The Dressing Rooms for teams and match officials are dilapidated, lack running water, have unkempt rest rooms, and, has a generally poor sanitary condition”, Abia Warriors were notified.
Rangers were cited for incomplete renovation work on the playing pitch.
On the Akure Township Stadium, Sunshine Stars were informed that, “the playing pitch (synthetic) is in playable condition, but there are segments of the pitch that may need maintenance. The available floodlight is not functional.
“The furniture in the dressing rooms are outdated and need to be upgraded. There is no Control Room, Media Center, Broadcast Studio, Press Conference Hall, Office Space or Meeting Room.
“The rest rooms and conveniences for spectators are dilapidated and in poor sanitary condition”.
While the El-kanemi stadium pitch, safety requirements and broadcast facilities met required standards, the club was directed to expedite work on the Medical Centre and Meeting Rooms.
The report further noted that “the
condition of the restrooms for spectators need to be improved upon, as well as the general sanitary condition of the stadium and its environs”
Niger Tornadoes may likely be directed to nominate an alternate stadium as conditions at the Kotangora Stadium was generally found below standards.
The report observed that “the playing pitch (natural grass) is not in ideal condition as there are patches at various parts of the field.
“There are currently no functional floodlights at the stadium and the entire facility is poorly lit, as most of the bulbs in connected areas are dead.
“The stadium lacks a readily available alternate power source, vide a generator.
“The pitch side benches for teams and match officials are not fit for purpose and need to be replaced. The Dressing Rooms for teams and match officials are dilapidated, lack running water, have unkempt rest rooms, and, has a generally poor sanitary condition”.
“There is no provision for Office Space and Meeting Room at the Stadium. There also no Media Center, Conference Room, Production Room or Broadcast Studio”.
Wikki Tourists were advised to fix the pitch side benches for teams and match officials as well as the lightings in the dressing rooms and tunnels.
According to the report, “There are no permanent seats at the VIP section.
“The rest rooms in the dressing rooms of both players and officials are not functional, and some of the furniture are in immediate need of repair. The rest rooms and conveniences for fans are dilapidated and in poor sanitary condition”
The clubs were variously advised to improve on all areas found to be below standard and send evidence to the league or invite the inspectors for physical evaluation in time before the new season kicks off.
Kirsty Coventry became the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the most powerful person in sport, on Monday in a handover ceremony with her predecessor Thomas Bach.
The Zimbabwean is the first woman and African to head the body, and at 41, the youngest since Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who is credited with founding the modern-day Olympics.
Coventry accepted the Olympic key from Bach, who, like her, is an Olympic champion — he won a team fencing gold in 1976 and she earned two swimming golds in 2004 and 2008.
Stepping down after a turbulent 12-year tenure, Bach expressed his confidence that the Olympic movement was “in the best of hands” and Coventry would bring “conviction, integrity and a dynamic perspective” to the role.
Coventry, who swept to a crushing first-round victory in the election in Greece in March, leans heavily on her family.
Aside from her parents, who were present at the ceremony in Lausanne, there is her husband Tyrone Seward, who was effectively her campaign manager, and two daughters, six-year-old Ella, who Bach addresses as “princess”, and Lily, just seven months old.
“Ella saw this spider web in the garden and I pointed out how it is made, and how strong and resilient it is to bad weather and little critters,” said Coventry, who takes over officially at midnight Swiss time Monday (2200 GMT).
“But if one little bit breaks it becomes weaker. That spider web is our movement, it is complex, beautiful and strong but it only works if we remain together and united.”
‘Pure passion’
Coventry said she could not believe how her life had evolved since she first dreamt of Olympic glory in 1992.
“How lucky are we creating a platform for generations to come to reach their dreams,” she said to a packed audience in a marquee in the Olympic House garden, which comprised IOC members, including those she defeated, and dignitaries.
“It is amazing and incredible, indeed I cannot believe that from my dream in 1992 of going to an Olympic Games and winning a medal I would be standing here with you to make dreams for more young children round the world.”
Coventry, who served in the Zimbabwean government as sports and arts Minister from 2019 to this year, said the Olympic movement was much more than a “multi-sport event platform.”
“We (IOC members) are guardians of this movement, which is also about inspiring and changing lives and bringing hope,” she said.
“These things are not to be taken lightly and I will be working with each and every one of you to continue to change lives and be a beacon of hope in a divided world.
“I am really honoured to walk this journey with you.”
Bach, who during his tenure had to grapple with Russian doping and their invasions of the Crimea and Ukraine as well as the Covid pandemic, said he was standing down filled with “gratitude, joy and confidence” in his successor.
“With her election it sends out a powerful message, that the IOC continues to evolve,” said the 71-year-old German, who was named honorary lifetime president in Greece in March.
“It has its first female and African to hold this position, and the youngest president since Pierre de Coubertin. She represents the truly global and youthful spirit of our community.”
Bach, who choked back tears at one point during his valedictory speech, was praised to the rafters by Coventry, who was widely seen as his preferred candidate of the seven vying for his post.
After a warm embrace, she credited him with teaching her to “listen to people and to respect them,” and praised him for leading the movement with “pure passion and purpose.”
“You have kept us united through the most turbulent times.
“You left us with many legacies and hope, thank you from the bottom of my heart for leading us with passion and never wavering from our values.”
-AFP
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Former Zimbabwean swimmer Kirsty Coventry took over the leadership of the International Olympic Committee from Thomas Bach in a ceremony on Monday with the 2028 Los Angeles Games already threatening to fill her in-tray to overflowing.
Coventry, who starts her eight-year spell officially on Tuesday as the most powerful sports administrator in the world, became the first woman and first African to be elected head of the Olympic ruling body in March.
Much of the discussion during campaigning focused on the IOC’s need for change in its marketing strategies with several top Olympic sponsors having left in the past 12 months.
However, with Los Angeles hit by protests against immigration raids, and relations tense between state and city officials, and the U.S. government, the 2028 Games have become the major talking point in the movement that would ordinarily be focusing on next year’s Milano-Cortina Winter Games.
Coventry has long-standing ties with the United States, dating back to her time as a leading swimmer at Auburn University in Alabama. That will prove useful ahead of LA 2028, and she has said she will seek to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the Games.
Coventry will also need to find time to help secure the long-term finances of the movement. The IOC, which generates billions of dollars in revenues each year in sponsorship and broadcasting deals for the Olympics, has secured $7.3 billion for 2025-28 and $6.2 billion for 2029-2032. More contracts are expected for both periods.
COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES
Coventry is also expected to continue the IOC’s plans to expand commercial opportunities for sponsors at the Olympics with the organisation’s finances in a robust state and the privately-funded LA Olympics a good place to start.
Coventry needed only one round of voting to clinch the race to succeed Bach, beating six other candidates, making history for the African continent, with the IOC having been ruled for 131 years by European or North American men.
Her background and being the first female president will be assets in a diverse IOC membership and the international makeup of Olympic stakeholders.
On Monday she was handed the golden key to the IOC by Bach, who was the organisation’s president for 12 years.
“I am really honoured I get to walk this journey with you. I cannot wait for anything that lies ahead,” Coventry said in her address to IOC members and other Olympic stakeholders.
“I know I have the best team to support me and our movement over the next eight years.”
Coventry will hold a two-day workshop this week to get feedback from members on key IOC issues.
“Working together and consistently finding ways to strengthen and keep united our movement that will ensure that we wake up daily… to continue to inspire,” she said.
A seven-time Olympic medallist, Coventry won 200m backstroke gold at the 2004 Athens Games and in Beijing four years later.
“With her election, you have also sent a powerful message to the world: the IOC continues to evolve,” Bach said in his speech. “With Kirsty Coventry, the Olympic movement will be in the best of hands.”
-Reuters
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Penalties scored when a player accidentally touches the ball twice must be retaken, world soccer’s lawmaking body IFAB has said after Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez had his spot kick disallowed in a Champions League last-16 match.
During a tense shootout with Real Madrid in March, Argentine forward Alvarez slipped and the VAR spotted that his left foot touched the ball slightly before he kicked it with his right.
Although Alvarez converted the penalty, the goal was chalked off and Atletico went on to lose the shootout and were eliminated from the Champions League.
European soccer’s governing body UEFA said the correct decision was made under the current laws but IFAB (International Football Association Board) has said that in such cases the penalty must be retaken.
Atletico Madrid v Real Valladolid – Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain – April 14, 2025 Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez scores their first goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo
“(When) the penalty taker accidentally kicks the ball with both feet simultaneously or the ball touches their non-kicking foot or leg immediately after the kick: if the kick is successful, it is retaken,” IFAB said in a circular.
“If the kick is unsuccessful, an indirect free kick is awarded (unless the referee plays advantage when it clearly benefits the defending team). In the case of penalties (penalty shootout), the kick is recorded as missed.”
The decision to disallow Alvarez’s penalty left Atletico boss Diego Simeone livid and the club’s fans outraged.
IFAB added that if the penalty taker deliberately kicks the ball with both feet or deliberately touches it a second time, an indirect free kick is awarded or, in the case of shootouts, it is recorded as missed.
The new procedures are effective for competitions starting on or after July 1, but IFAB said it may be used in competitions that start this month.
-Reuters
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