Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

Super Falcons Exit Paris Olympics After Defeat to Japan. The Super Falcons of Nigeria have bowed out of the women’s football event at the 2024 Olympic Games following a 3-1 defeat to Japan. Japan quickly took control of the game, pinning Nigeria back early on. Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie made a superb save in the seventh minute to deny the Japanese an early goal. Despite Nnadozie’s efforts, Japan continued their dominance, with Osinachi Ohale making a crucial block nine minutes later. The pressure paid off for the Asian champions as Chelsea forward Maika Hamano handed her team the lead…

Kylian Mbappe Invests in French Ligue 2 Club Caen. In a significant development, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe has completed a takeover of Ligue 2 side Caen through his investment company, Interconnected Ventures. The acquisition, managed via Coalition Capital, marks a substantial personal investment of around €15 million (£12.6 million) by the French international. Coalition Capital, now the majority shareholder, replaces the previous American investment fund, Oaktree. Despite the takeover, Pierre-Antoine Capton, the current president of Caen’s supervisory board, retains a minority stake in the club. Capton expressed his enthusiasm for the new partnership, stating, “It is an incredible…

Nigeria Sports Minister John Enoh Blows Hot Over Favour Ofili Registration Blunder. In a recent development, Nigeria’s Sports Minister, John Enoh, has expressed strong disapproval regarding the registration mishap involving sprinter Favour Ofili for the Paris Olympics. During his visit to the Games Village on 28 July 2024, Enoh held a candid session with Team Nigeria athletes and later had personal interactions to address their concerns directly. Favour Ofili, who reached out to Minister Enoh expressing her worries about her races, has faced issues before. Recalling her problems at the African Championships in Douala, Enoh had previously sought to…

IOC Orders Removal of Suspended Nigerian Boxer from Games Village. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has instructed the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) to remove boxer Cynthia Ogunsemilore from the Games Village at the Paris Olympics. Ogunsemilore, who was provisionally suspended for an out-of-competition doping violation involving the substance furosemide, will no longer be part of the event. The directive comes as part of the IOC’s stringent anti-doping measures aimed at maintaining fair play and integrity in the competition. Team Nigeria management has confirmed its compliance with the IOC’s directive. Ogunsemilore’s suspension has dealt a significant blow to the…

Paris Olympic 2024: Athletes Test Positive as COVID-19 Returns. Three years after the Tokyo Olympics were held amid strict precautions and without fans due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, fears of the disease have resurfaced in Paris. The virus has forced some athletes to withdraw from events at the Paris Games and has led others to don masks once again. However, the current impact appears to be more limited compared to the situation in Tokyo. Several athletes have tested positive for COVID-19, including Australian swimmer Lani Pallister. The re-emergence of the virus has prompted increased vigilance, though it has…

AFN Confirms Ofili’s Registration for Multiple Events Amid Controversy. The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has expressed shock and confusion regarding the omission of sprinter Favour Ofili’s name from the 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The reigning Nigeria 100m champion discovered her absence from the list of competitors and accused the AFN of deliberately omitting her from the event. In response, AFN Technical Director Samuel Onikeku stated that the federation had registered Ofili for the 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay. “We registered Ofili for the 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay. We don’t know how her…

Favour Ofili Misses Out on 100m at Paris Olympics Due to AFN Registration Oversight. National women’s champion Favour Ofili has announced that she will not be competing in the women’s 100 metres at the Paris Olympics due to an administrative oversight by the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) and the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN). The 22-year-old sprinter shared this disappointing news via her Instagram page on Tuesday. Despite qualifying for the Olympic event by winning the national title in April, Ofili revealed that she was not registered to represent Nigeria in the race. Expressing her frustration, she wrote:…

OGC Nice Confirms Terem Moffi’s Long-Term Injury. French Ligue 1 club OGC Nice has confirmed that Nigeria’s Super Eagles forward, Terem Moffi, will be sidelined for an extended period. According to reports from France, Moffi sustained a serious injury during a team training session and subsequently underwent further medical tests to determine the extent of the damage. The club released a statement on its official website, detailing the nature of the injury: “Injured during training, Terem Moffi underwent further tests today. The results confirmed a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.” In a show…

Opeyori Lost Opening Encounter Against Switzerland’s Kuenzi. Nigeria’s badminton star, Anuoluwapo Opeyori, faced a challenging start at the Paris 2024 Olympics, losing his first match 2-0 to Switzerland’s Tobias Kuenzi on Tuesday in the men’s singles event. Opeyori, 27, fought valiantly in the keenly contested encounter. The first set saw him put up a strong fight but ultimately losing narrowly with a score of 22-20. The second set, however, was more decisive, with Kuenzi securing a comfortable 21-14 victory. Despite this setback, Opeyori will have another opportunity to progress in the competition. He is set to return to…

CAS Confirms Suspension of Nigerian Olympian Ogunsemilore. The Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS ADD) has today confirmed the provisional suspension imposed on Nigerian boxer Cynthia Temitayo Ogunsemilore. The decision was announced following an out-of-competition doping control that revealed the presence of a banned substance. Cynthia Temitayo Ogunsemilore, who was set to compete in the Women’s Boxing 60 kg category at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, was tested on 25 July 2024. The test reported an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for Furosemide, a diuretic and masking agent prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) at…

Osimhen’s Agent Denies Loan Move Rumours. In response to circulating rumours, Victor Osimhen’s agent, Roberto Calenda, has firmly denied any talks of a loan move for the Napoli striker. Calenda addressed the speculations head-on, criticising the nature of the reports. “I read about ‘fantasy exchanges’ with Victor… as if he was a package to be delivered quickly,” Calenda stated. He emphasised Osimhen’s pivotal role in Napoli’s recent success, saying, “This package is the top scorer of the third Scudetto in the history of Napoli.” Calenda urged the media and public to show respect and put an end to…

Enzo Fernandez Apologizes for Racist Chant, Commits to Anti-Discrimination Charity. Enzo Fernandez rejoined the Chelsea squad in Atlanta yesterday, following his involvement in a controversial incident during the Argentina national team’s celebrations after their Copa America victory. The celebrations took a dark turn when racist chants were heard coming from the team bus, sparking widespread condemnation. Fernandez, who was part of the jubilant team, has issued an apology to his Chelsea teammates for his participation in the chant. He expressed deep regret and has pledged to make a significant contribution to an anti-discrimination charity as part of his efforts…