Olympics
For Falcons and Banyana it’s now or never
To be or not to be? That is the great question running in the minds of Nigerians and South Africans as both hope to see a return of their respective women’s football teams at the Olympics.
Both teams, giants of women’s football in Africa missed out at the last edition at Tokyo 2020. For the Super Falcons, the biggest brand in women’s football in Africa and ever present at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, had missed featuring in the Olympics in the past 16 years.
They carry a narrow one goal advantage going to the decider tonight in Pretoria, South Africa.
Their goal is simple – avoid a defeat and the Olympic ticket will be theirs. But achieving the goal may be tasking as their hosts have dragged them to an high altitude arena where endurance level is key as the air is thin.
Banyana coach, Desiree Ellis who captained the team when the Super Falcons inflicted a 2-0 defeat in a WAFCON final match that was abandoned after 73 minutes in South Africa opted for the Loftus Versfield in Pretoria because it is on a high altitude which she felt will profit her team.
She hopes to get the job done within the opening 20 minutes. But Banyana Banyana had never beaten Super Falcons in any duel in South Africa.
Olympics
Olympic rings removed from Eiffel Tower
The Olympic rings installed on the Eiffel Tower since June to celebrate the upcoming Olympic Games were removed from the Parisian monument early on Friday morning, as confirmed by an AFP photographer. But the Paris City Hall intends to replace them with a more permanent structure until 2028.
The five-coloured rings, measuring 29 metres in length and 15 metres in height, were placed between the first and second levels of the iconic iron structure on 7 June.
According to Inside the Games publication, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants the Olympic symbol to continue decorating the monument until the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
But the descendants of the tower’s creator, Gustave Eiffel are opposing the move. They are insisting that the Olympic rings are aesthetically in conflict with the concept and design of the Tower.
The 30-tonne rings initially installed on the Eiffel Tower were also not designed to withstand winter weather conditions.
Olympics
Despite Egypt winning 3 medals at Paris Olympics, President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participatedat the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
The mandate includes a thorough expenditure check and a performance review to better highlight areas of improvement and fund allocation in future Games.
Additionally, the president plans to take necessary measures against federations —such as limiting funds— that had negative results in the Paris Games.
Egypt’s participation in sports where it lacks a competitive advantage will also be limited, as the president aims to direct resources to promising athletes to ensure optimal results. The president also aims to reduce administrative and technical staff within Olympic delegations and task relevant ministries with preparing future Olympic athletes.
Al-Sisi’s Olympic overhaul is to be presented to the cabinet for approval and urged the government to prioritise amending the sports law for the House of Representatives for review.
Egypt took home a total of three medals in the Summer Games. Ahmed El-Gendy triumphed in modern pentathlon, Sara Samir claimed the silver in weightlifting, and 21-year-old fencer Mohamed El-Sayed earned the bronze.
-Insidethegames
Olympics
Paris 2024 Games break record ticket sales
Paris 2024 sold a record 12 million tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics, beating the Games record previously set by London 2012, organisers said on Sunday.
Some 9.5 million tickets were sold for the Olympics and 2.5 million for the Paralympics, which end on Sunday.
In 2012, London organisers set the record for the Paralympics with 2.7 million tickets sold but only 8.2 million were sold for the Olympics.
-Reuters
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