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The Lagos State Sports Council, LSSC, has declared that it would not tolerate the activities of dubious and fake sports organisers and marketers who stage series of competitons in the state without getting clearance from the council's sports associations.
Its Chairman, Agboola Dabiri, said the decision became imperative to curb the activities of the organisers in order to safe sports and enhance the development of sports in Lagos.
Dabiri, said the council would appreciate people with genuine interest to aid the development of sports through staging of regular sporting activities, adding that many people under the pretence of organising grassroot tournaments have misused the opprotunity to defraud people.
He urged local government councils to help the council to put a stop to the trend as he advised people who are genuinely interested in promoting sports to approach the concerned sports associations before starting any competition, adding that they stand to gain more by involving such associations instead of bypassing them.
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NFF denies castigating PTF.
The Nigeria Football Federation,NFF, has denied making any insinuation to the effect that officials of the Presidential Task Force on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification caused distractions in the Super Eagles’ camp at the African Nations Cup finals in Angola.
NFF, said the PTF was a body set up by the Federal Government and they have been working smoothly with the body ever since inauguration.
While acknowledging the noble and immense contributions of the PTF to Super Eagles 2010 World Cup qualification, the Federation tenders apology to the eminent persons who constitute the Presidential Task Force if the statement made had offended them.
The Nigeria Football Federation wishes to again use this medium to solicit the continued support of the Presidential Task Force as the Federation's begin in earnest the preparations for a credible outing at the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa.
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Lagos commissions Campos Square.
Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola will tomorrow record another milestone in the area of sports development in the State with the official commissioning of the Campos Square Sports Centre.
The commissioning of the sports edifice according to Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele, the Commissioner for Youth Sports and Social Development, was coming at a time the state sports ministry is doing everything to see that Lagos continue to play the leadership role in the area sports development in Nigeria.
The Commissioner, who described the Campos Square which use to serve as cemetery for the dead Brazil and Cuba returning especially those of the Campos lineage, said the administration of Fashola has adopted a policy of building state of art facilities in all the local communities.
Prince Adeniji-Adele describes the coming of Governor Fashola (SAN) as governor of Lagos State as the best thing to have happened to the Centre of Excellence in several years.
Adeniji Adele, said the Campos Square which later became an open playground when the cemetery was relocated now have an artificial turf for football, a multi purpose outdoor court, floodlights, a generator, a clinic and a mini conference hall.
According to him, some selected basketball players would take to the court for a dunking contest while there would an Under 13 football match and also fireworks to herald the ceremony.
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CAF Bans Togo
Togo has been banned from playing in the next two edition of the Africa Cup of Nations for pulling of the tournament.
The Hawks pulled out of the 2010 edition which is currently being held in Angola after a terrorist attack on their team bus.
The African Football Confederation (CAF), said the body has decided to ban Togo because government had interfered in their decision to pull out.
CAF president Issa Hayatou said the decision was based on "governmental interference.
Togo decided to pull out of the tournament after two members of their delegation were shot and killed during an attack on the team bus as it passed through the restive Angolan enclave of Cabinda.
The armed wing of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda, embroiled in a decades-long separatist struggle, claimed responsibility for the attack.
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Mohammed undergoes successful operation
Super Eagles defender,Yusuf Mohammed, has recorded a successful operation in Johannesburg South Africa as the player will be out of active soccer for nine months.
The operation on the Sion F.C of Switzerland defender’s ruptured Achilles tendon took place at the Rose Bank Clinic close to the Residence of the Nigeria High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa, General Buba Marwa.
Super Eagles’ physiotherapist Ekundayo Ogunkunle,said the Nigeria High Commission in South Africa did a great job by providing necessary materials needed before they landed in Johannesburg as NFF made an initial deposit of ten thousand dollars.
According to him, Mohammed is already wearing boots and they would manage him for three weeks before he returns to Nigeria.
The NFF promptly arranged for the player to be flown to South Africa after he ruptured his Achilles tendon in the second half of the Nations Cup semi final match against Ghana’s Black Stars .
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Babafemi Promises To Surpass Sports Festival Records.
The Head Coach of Lagos State Amateur Boxing Association, Adefemi Babafemi, is optimistic that the state's puglists to the this year's National Sports Festival in Rivers State will surpass thier records in the tournament.
The Coach's assurance was a results of the new dawn in the association through the Lagos State Boxing Hall of Fame which has been organising regular boxing tournamnets tagged Monthly Staurday Boxing Show.
Babafemi, said the competiton which started last year has been able to improve the standard of the sport and it has also renewed the interest of the boxers to feature in the competition following their opportunity to exhibit their skills.
He said some of the boxers who have been poached by other states are now participating in the tournament with a view of competing for the state at the National Sports festival in Rivers State.
He said all the champions in each weight category since the competition started would be invited to open camping ahead of the National Sports Festival in Rivers State.
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CAF suspends headbutted ref
Benin referee Bonaventure Coffi Codjia has been suspended by CAF after failing to take action against an Algeria player who head-butted him at the African Nations Cup.
A CAF spokesman told Reuters on Sunday that Codjia, also on the shortlist for the World Cup in June, did not mention the incident in his match report after deciding against taking any action on the field against Algerian goalkeeper Fawzi Chaouchi.
Codjia was clearly grabbed by the collar and headbutted by the keeper after Egypt took a 1-0 lead with a disputed penalty in Thursday’s semi-final in Benguela.
Chaouchi was enraged by the way in which Egypt’s Hosni Abd Rabou ran up to the ball, stopped and feigned his spot-kick before stroking it easily into the net.
Codjia awarded the goal and Chaouchi chased after the referee, grabbing him from behind and turning him around and butting him. He was quickly dragged away by teammates.
A minute earlier the referee sent off Algerian defender Rafik Halliche for a second caution for a tackle that led to Egypt being awarded the penalty.
Chaouchi was later sent off when an attempted kick at an opponent earned a second caution.
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Eagles’ stars hit Lagos today
There are indications that some Super Eagles’ stars like Osaze Odemwingie, Obafemi Martins, Chidi Ordiah, Obinna Nsofor, Yussuf Ayila and Obinna Nwaneire may hit Lagos today before heading back to their various European clubs.
Correspondent who was at their Alvalade Hotel on Sunday morning to make final checks on the players after their arrival from Benguela where they had beaten Algeria to another bronze medal, gathered that only the few stars who confident that they had played their all during the championship and for fans to judge will arrive Lagos to see their family members via either a South African or Ethiopian Airways flight that left Luanda Sunday.
Meanwhile, its not known how long they will be spending in Nigeria before heading back to their clubs.
However,English Premiership teams like Everton and Hull City will be welcoming back the likes of recuperating Joseph Yobo, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Seyi Olofinjana to their folds before Tuesday or Wednesday as they might have connected from the Johannesburg International Airport a British Airways flight to London's Hethrow Airport or this morning do so as the case may be.
The same goes for the likes of Kalu Uche, Taiye Taiwo, Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide, Elderson Echiejiele, Dele Ayenugba, Sani Kaita and a few others that will connect a Europe bound flight from Johannesburg too.
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Radio Lagos/ Eko Fm Sports Unit has been declared the winner Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Lagos Chapter, category of the second edition of Procold Lagos International Table Tennis Championship.
Its Sports Correspondent, Yinka Adebayo, defeated Lekan Okusan of Guardian Newspaper, by two straight sets in the best of three sets, 11 - 9, 11 - 6, to emerged the winner.
Adebayo, who lost to Lekan Okusan, during the maiden edition of O'Jeez Table Tennis Championship, outstroked Lukmon Ologunro of National Life Newspaper, by two straight sets to set a date with Guardian Newspaper Sports correspondent.
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The Local Organising Committee, has said it would insist on all standards set by world soccer governing body, FIFA, ahead of the forthcoming West African Football Union, W.A.F.U, Under Twenty Championship, so as to realize its goals and objectives.
Head of the LOC Technical Committee, Tijani Yusuf, explained that the host state must fulfill all FIFA requirements for the staging of world class events while Nigerians would be sensitized on the need to change from old ways and embrace FIFA rules.
Yusuf,said the comittee wants to set a benchmark with the forthcoming WAFU Under-20 Championship, in terms of organisation and delivery, stressing that the mixed zone, conference centre, referees changing rooms and medicals must not only be provided for and it must meet FIFA requirements.
He said, the seating arrangement must explicitly spell out that 50 seats must be reserved for FIFA and WAFU while only those with valid tickets would be allowed entry into the stadium.
Yusuf, a former secretary-general of the Nigeria Football Association, implored political office holders to respect laid down rules.
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NFF/MTN Lecture Holds On Thursday.
The second edition of the International Media Lecture organized by the Nigeria Football Federation and sponsorship by MTN Ccommunications will this Thursday, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
The theme of this year¢s lecture is: Enhancing the Brand Values of Nigeria Football. Chairperson of the Media Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aisha Falode said Simon Johnson, the Chief Executive Officer of the England 2018 World Cup Bid Committee, would deliver a paper.
While Mike Itemuagbor, who is Chairman of Pamodzi and a renown marketing guru, would present a paper titled ¡Football Sponsorship in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects', just as Johnson will speak on ¡Enhancing the Brand Values of Nigeria Football.
According to her, the stage is set for the Lecture as Mr Johnson and his team, which also includes people from The Football Association in England, are due to arrive in Nigeria on Wednesday.
The first edition of the NFF/MTN International Media Lecture took place in Lagos in June 2007.
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NFF Likely To Pardon Alphonsus Dike.
More facts are beginning to unfold as to why the Nigeria Football Federation, N.F.F, would not sack the Golden Eaglets' Chief Coach, Alphonsus Dike and his technical crew members, Manu Garba and Yisa Shofoluwe.
Our Correspondent, gathered that some NFF big wigs believe that the move to relieve Alphonsus Dike and his assistant coaches would be counter productive to the country's preparations and defence of the title during the Nigeria 2009 FIFA Under Seventeen World Cup.
According to the staunch members of the Federation, the Eaglets technical crew members performed the task in accordant to the NFF 's specification which is to scout for players within the Under Seventeen age range for the new Eaglets team since it was believed in some quarters that their predecessors that won the championship in South Korea were old players.
But some pro Dike board members pleaded that the technical crew should be allow to continue with the mandate given to them to prepare a formidable team that will pose a great challenge during the FIFA Under Seventeen World Cup that will be hosted in the country.
It was also pointed out that Dike deserves to be given a second chance since Joseph Ladipo who also flopped in the Olympics got their blessing to lead the Super Falcons to the African Women Championship, A.W.C, in Equitorial Guinea later this year.
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Victoria Calls for Sports Investment.
Paralympic Games Silver Medalist, Nneji Victoria, has called on the National Sports Commission to invest more towards the development of sports in Nigeria.
Victoria, who won a Silver medal in powerlifting at the just concluded Paralympic Games,in Beijin China, said the nation lacks modern equipment to assist its special athletes to excel in international tournaments as the trend deprieved them from wining Gold medals.
She said most of the nations that featured at the event had been in training four months before the Games and it gave them an ample opportunities to prepare and win medals at stake in each event they competed for.
The Paralympian, said the nation has good athletes that are capable of winning Gold medals but there are no good plans on ground to equip them with modern facities to uplift the standard of Special Sports, adding that most of them trained with improvised facilities prior to the Games.
She said the determination to make the nation proud at the Games gave her the zeal to clinch a Silver Medal despite threat fom other competiting nations.
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Merotohun, Edem Win Procold Table Tennis Tournament.
Nigeria's International Table Tennis player, Monday Merotohun, has won the Men's Singles Event in the second edition of Procold Lagos International Table Tennis Championship which came to a close over the weekend at the Sportshall of the University of Lagos, Akoka.
Merotohun, who featured at the last concluded Olympic Games in Beinjing, China, beat Kazeem Makanjuola, by four straight sets to win a cash prize of Two Thousand Dollars.
In a post match interview,the Africa's sensational player, said Makanjuola was a good ping ponger who in a couple of years would be a table tennis player to reckon with due to his zeal and skills.
He said the final would have been more exciting if he had played against either Ajetunmobi or Segun Toriola in the final because both players are very skillful, adding that the competition has been able to uplift the standard of table tennis which has produced the likes of Atanda Musa, Yomi Bankole.
Merotohun, defeated Aruna Quadri, four sets to three,in the semi final while Makanjuola outstroked Jide Ogidiolu, by four sets to Two, to meet Merotohun at the Men's Singles final.
In the Women's Singles final, Offiong Edem, retained her trophy as she emerged the winner courtesy of four straight sets of 11- 9, 12 - 10, 11 - 7, 11 - 9,over Alimat Hussein, to smile home with One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars.
She beat Ganiat Ogundele of Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps by four straight, 11- 7, 12 - 10, 11 - 6, 11 - 8.
Offiong, who plays professionally in Portugal, said she trained hard to win th tournament since she was informed of the event which according to her has added value to the sport and the home based table tennis players.
She said the tournament has been able to change the scope the sport which has been bedevilled by irregular table tennis championships.
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Nigerian Table Tennis Players Yet To Acquint to I.T.T.F Rules.
The Nigeria Table Tennis Umpires Referee Association, said Nigerian table tennis players need to acquint themselves with the lastest rule and regulations guiding service while featuring in an International tournaments.
The Association which just conducted its election last Friday at the Sportshall of the University of Lagos, Akoka, observed the rules of service at the just concluded Procold Lagos International Table Tennis Championship, a move which was condemned by many ping pongers who believed it was a delibrate move to demoralised them from wining the event.
The Coach of Cross Rivers State Table Tennis Association, Richard Edem, who was bittered when her player, Janet Friday, lost to Ganiat Olatunde, in the final of Junior Girl's Singles final, said the umpire faulted about six of her player's service, a move he claimed discourage her player to lose the game to a fast improving young table tennis player.
The Former Caretaker of the Association, Offiong Edem, said they decided to make use of the rule in a bid to encourage Nigerian ping pongers to acquint themselves with the lastest rules of service, stressing that most of them especially the home based ones are yet to align with I.T.T.F Rules.
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Governor's Tennis Cup Starts Next Month.
The Eight edition of Governor¢s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship will start next month at the lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos.
The tournament as usual will attracts players from more than thirty countries of the world.
Tennis Players from countries like Nigeria, United States, Britain, Israel, Croatia, India, South Africa, Germany, Ireland, Ghana, Morocco, Slovakia, Pakistan, Ukraine and a host of others are already registering for the International Tennis Federation (ITF) approved tournament through the world governing body of the game.
This year's event is expected to be glamorous as the Local Organising Committee (LOC) is working round the clock in conjunction with Nigeria tennis Federation (NTF) to put a world standard organised tennis classic which has been on the calender of the ITF since 2003.
The championship has equally provided a platform for upcoming players accross the globe to enhance their ATP ranking.
Sania Mirza, the lady from India, who won the first and second leg of Ladies Singles in 2004, has moved into the elite club of tennis players in the world.
She is in fact considered a giant killer in the tennis world.
Likewise unseeded player from Netherland, Boy Westerhof won the final of the first leg of the competition last year.
Westerhof, who was ranked Number 635 on the ATP in December, 2008 defeated Morrocan Reda El Amrani in straight sets of 6- 2, 6- 4 game.
Nigerian duo of Jonathan Igbinovia and Abdulmumini Babalola won the Men¢s Doubles trophy.
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Joseph Ladipo To Lead Super Falcons To AWC.
The Chief Coach of Nigeria's Super Falcns,Joseph Ladipo, may not be sacked as head coach of Nigeria¢s Super Falcons after all.
Report have it that the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, are not thinking of replacing him despite the Super Falcons poor outing at the Olympic Games.
Ladipo, will lead the team to the Africa Women¢s Championship holding in Equatorial Guinea between November 15 and 25.
NFF leadership believes the coach has the pedigree and needed experience to tutor the girls to the AWC and that the team was just unlucky to be in the group of death at the Beijing Olympics.
A final decision is expected during an urgent board meeting of the NFF called by the Federation's President, Sani Lulu and has been fixed for Thursday.
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