Sports
Libya Revels In Qualifying Miracle: 2012 Nations Cup
Libya’s national team headed for home on their charter plane on Sunday, basking in the glory of improbable qualification to next year’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations. Their jet set off on a 10-hour journey from Ndola on Zambia’s Copperbelt to Tunisia, after which they plan to cross the border home and embark on a victory tour of Libya’s embattled capital Tripoli. The side will be feted as heroes after completing a remarkable campaign unbeaten, setting off huge celebrations across a country still mired in conflict.
Libya’s 0-0 draw away against Zambia in Chingola was not enough to win their group, but it was good enough to see them finish in one of the two best runner-up berths. The Libyans had been aware of their potential to slip through into the 16-team field for next year’s tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, with their Brazilian coach Marcos Paqueta cognisant that a draw might be enough, provided they could hold out against an attacking Zambia side on home soil.
There were some hair-raising moments for the Libya defence, but goalkeeper Samir Aboud and central defender Ali Salama in particular put in heroic performances that ensured a goalless stalemate that left the side on 12 points, one behind their hosts. But it was not yet mathematically certain that Libya would go through when their match at the Nchanga Stadium concluded, even though they wasted no time beginning their celebrations.
Paqueta looked almost bewildered by the achievement at the end of the game, while the hero of the hour, veteran goalkeeper Aboud, stood serenely to the side of his team-mates who were feverishly hugging each other in congratulations. “It is unbelievable what these players have done, even if we didn’t play so well today,” the much-travelled Paqueta said after the game in which the hosts rattled the woodwork twice. “We believed in our mission, and we have gone through a lot together.”
Aboud, who at 39 was making an unlikely return to a much revamped line-up, called qualification a win for “all the Libyan people, not only the team” before adding emotionally: “We have gone through a lot, but we have stayed true to our job and this victory is for all of us.”
Libya had high ambitions when they started the qualifying campaign last June, hiring the former Saudi Arabia coach on a four-year contract. “I had seen this Libyan team play on television before, and so I was intrigued by them,” said Paqueta. “When they proposed a contract with me, I made a huge plan of work, not only for the national side but also the junior teams and to help the club structures. The Libyans liked it, and so I signed.”
His tenure started successfully with a draw away in Mozambique in the first of the Group D qualifiers and then a home win last October over Zambia. “But they were not easy games. The match in Mozambique came in the middle of Ramadan and the players were fasting. They were physically weak because of it,” Paqueta explained. “Against Zambia, our team doctor had a heart attack and died in the hotel the night before the match. He was very popular with the players.”
Shortly before their next game at the end of March came the start of the country’s revolution. It meant the game against the Comoros Islands had to go ahead in neutral Mali but the Libyans still won comfortably in Bamako. By then, their domestic league had stopped and organised football ground to halt. It had taken a matter of weeks for the situation to change entirely.
By June, the conflict left the team in ruins, and Paqueta had only players from the capital Tripoli to choose from for the return game, away in the Comoros. It ended 1-1 draw after a late goal by the hosts. By the time the qualifiers resumed in September for the penultimate group game, the situation was even more fluid and the ‘home’ match against Mozambique moved to Cairo. But Libya won to keep alive their seemingly improbable hopes, and then completed an unbeaten campaign by drawing in Chingola on Saturday.
“We have had a big challenge, but I told my players we need to focus on the football first,” said a proud Paqueta. “We don’t have to always mix the problems of the country with football, and to their credit they have kept concentrating on the task ahead.
Now the coach will turn his attention to preparing for the Cup of Nations finals. He is seeking to find more players of Libyan descent in Europe to strengthen the side and wants to give more home-based youngsters an opportunity. He is hoping to fix several training camps to keep his players competitive. It will be only the third time Libya are represented at the Cup of Nations but, whatever result they achieve, they have already far exceeded expectations. The hero Aboud summed up the warm feelings in the team by describing the qualification simply as “a miracle.”
The 2006 Commonwealth Games silver medallist spoke to Tidesports source her desire to defend her para singles title in the women’s category and to also secure a qualification berth for both the regional West Africa para table tennis event in Abeokuta in September and the continental championship billed to hold in Cairo, Egypt in November.
The multiple Paralympian said, “My expectation is to come out great at this wonderful tournament and to qualify for the forthcoming tournament that is coming up in Nigeria and Egypt in September and November. Last tournament, I won the singles. I won three golds at the last ValueJet tournament. And I want to believe and hope that I will maintain my position by coming in first position.”
Ugwueke had featured in the para event at the 56th Molade Okoya-Thomas National Table Tennis Championships, held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in January, where she suffered a stunning defeat to eventual finalist and tournament runner-up Taiye Oyinloye, who in turn was beaten 3-1 (11-3, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9) by Commonwealth Games medallist, Kate Oputa, to become the women’s class 1-5 champion.
The ValueJet Lagos Para table tennis Open, which is in its seventh edition, is an event sanctioned by the governing body ITTF Africa and put together by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation in partnership with Lagos State Sports Commission.
The event will come to a close on July 11, with the competition serving as qualifiers for the country’s players for the regional tournament in Abeokuta.
A total of 98 athletes—57 men and 41 women—from Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Togo are competing in the singles events.
Notable performances have come from Alabi, Agunbiade, Ogunkunle, and Commonwealth Games medallists Kate Oputa and Faith Obazuaye, who have showcased their class against emerging talents across various classifications.
Their presence has intensified the battle for podium finishes, with top seeds asserting dominance in their respective singles events.
The AIU announced in the June 2025 sanctions list on July 1 that 21-year-old quarter-miler Uko was found guilty of an anti-doping rule violation committed on June 5 2024. Her infraction falls under whereabouts failures, having missed three tests within a 12-month period.
The AIU confirmed that her period of ineligibility will run until 23 July 2026 and all results recorded from the date of the infraction have been officially disqualified.
Uko rose to fame after clinching three gold medals at the 2021 World U-20 Championships in Nairobi, winning the women’s 400 metres, 4x400m relay, and the mixed 4x400m relay.
Stephen Eloji (June 2028)
Sprinter and hurdler Stephen Eloji tested positive for dehydrochloromethyl-
The 25-year-old was active in the American collegiate circuit, recording strong performances in the 110m hurdles and relay events as recently as April 2024, including at the Pepsi Florida Relays and Music City Challenge.
Ada Princess Bright (September 2027)
Ada Princess Bright is serving a four-year ineligibility period after testing positive for Metenolone during the National Athletics Trials held on July 6 2023 in Benin City.
She had an active season prior to her suspension, competing in national meets in Lagos, Uyo, and Benin, and earning a relay gold at the African U20 Championships in Ndola, Zambia.
Grace Nwokocha (August 2025)
Nwokocha is serving a three-year ban after testing positive for SARMS substances including Ostarine and Ligandrol during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The fallout was significant, as Nigeria was stripped of its women’s 4x100m relay gold medal at the Games. Prior to her suspension, she had qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, posted a personal best of 11.00s in the 100m, and reached the semi-finals in the 100m and 200m at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. She is ineligible to compete until 2 August 2025.
Yinka Ajayi (January 2030)
Ajayi, a 400m specialist and one-time Olympic representative, is currently serving an extended eight-year ban for multiple anti-doping violations.
The first sanction, issued after she tested positive for Metenolone in an out-of-competition test in Iowa, USA, led to a four-year ban starting in December 2021. However, further findings of tampering led to an additional four-year penalty in 2024, extending her suspension until January 25 2030.
Glory Okon (January 2026)
Glory Okon is serving a four-year ban for testing positive for Metenolone following an out-of-competition test conducted on December 2 2021 in Nigeria.
She previously won gold in the 400 metres at the 2019 African U-20 Championships in Abidjan and featured prominently at the 2021 National Sports Festival in Benin City.
Blessing Okagbare (July 2031)
Once the face of Nigerian athletics, Okagbare is now serving a 10-year ban following multiple anti-doping rule violations. She tested positive for human growth hormone and EPO in an out-of-competition test in June 2021.
Her suspension came while competing at the Tokyo Olympics and was announced in February 2022. It was later extended by an additional year in June 2022 due to further breaches.
Divine Oduduru (February 2029)
Oduduru’s career was derailed by anti-doping violations linked to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. On October 12 2023, a Disciplinary Tribunal of the AIU imposed a six-year ban on Oduduru after he was found guilty of possessing and attempting to use prohibited substances and methods. The case stemmed from the wider investigation into Eric Lira, the first individual convicted under the US Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, who supplied banned substances to athletes, including Okagbare, ahead of the Tokyo Games.
Oduduru’s ban is effective from February 9, 2023 and will run until February 8, 2029.
Henry Azike (Lifetime ban)
Azike is one of two Nigerian athletes currently serving a lifetime ban after testing positive for Metenolone, an anabolic steroid. His case was classified as a second ADRV, automatically triggering a lifetime suspension from the sport.
Azike last competed in 2011, including at the Doha Amir Cup and Nigerian Championships in Calabar.
Vivian Chukwuemeka (Lifetime ban)
Two-time Olympian and African shot put record holder Vivian Chukwuemeka is serving a lifetime ban for a second doping offence after testing positive for Stanozolol at the 2012 National Championships in Calabar.
The 2002 Commonwealth Games champion and multiple-time African gold medallist had previously served a two-year ban following a 2009 positive test. Her personal best of 18.43m remains the African record in women’s shot put.
Invited players into the Super Eagles B camp ahead of the rescheduled African Nations Championship tournament are feeling the pressure of selection, three days into their training camp at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State.
The eighth CHAN tournament is taking place in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda between August 2 to 20.
Ahead of the tournament, head coach Eric Chelle had invited an initial 35 players to camp and they began training on Monday with 21 players.
Five more players arrived on Tuesday to take the number to 26 while 28 players trained on Wednesday morning with the rest expected before the end of the week.
Captain of the team through the qualifiers, Junior Nduka, spoke about the intensity of the sessions and the jostle to make the final squad.
“Everybody is under pressure but definitely the coaches want the best among the 35 players,” Nduka said.
River United and former Flying Eagles forward, Aniekeme Okon, also admitted the pressure.
“It puts pressure on us, 35 players being invited, everybody is going to give out their best with an expectation of being selected. So we keep pushing.”
Ikorodu City defender, Leonard Ngenge also said, “Obviously, it puts everyone under pressure even myself. But I just need to do my best to be on the coaches’ radar.”
Nigeria, the 2018 runners-up, are in group D of the 19-team tournament, alongside Cup holders Senegal, Sudan and Congo.
The Super Eagles B will play their first two matches of the competition, against Senegal and Sudan, at the Amman Stadium on the island of Zanzibar, before taking on Congo at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Nigeria has never won the tournament, having finished third at the 2014 edition in South Africa before losing the final against hosts Morocco four years later.
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