Sports
157 Referees Fail Fitness Test
About 30 per cent of referees who participated in the National Fitness Test of the Nigeria
(Football) Referees Association last week failed to make the mark, the association has said.
According to the test’s analysis made available on Tuesday in Abuja by the association’s National Publicity Secretary,
Mrs Serah Adebisi, 157 of the 506 participants failed.
The Tidesports reports that 347 participants passed in the test which took place at the Abuja National Stadium from Nov. 22 to Nov. 26, 2011.
Lagos which had the highest number of 37 participants also had the highest number of 30 successful candidates, with Oyo
closely behind with 25 of 34 candidates being successful.
Kaduna also had 19 of its 26 candidates coming out successful, while Niger had only 13 of its 25 candidates passing the test.
Plateau had the biggest success rate with only two of its 24 candidates failing, while the FCT had eight of its 23 participants
failing.
Benue also had 14 candidates successful out of 23, Ondo had 13 of its 20 candidates passing, while Abia had eight candidates failing out of 19.
Also, Kwara had 13 successful out of 19, Imo with 12 of 19 successful and Rivers with 14 successful out of 18, while Bauchi had all its 17 candidates coming out successful.
Yobe and Zamfara were as successful as Bauchi, with five and four candidates respectively, while Sokoto and Kebbi had one candidate unsuccessful out of eight and four candidates respectively.
Borno which presented two candidates had both of them failing, while Jigawa with four and Ebonyi with six had only one candidate each coming out successful.
Tidesports reports that the test which had participants from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT had consisted 150 metres in 32 secs, shuttle walking races and 12 rounds of 300 metres races.
Speaking to The Tidesports on the test result, NRA President Ahmed Maude said the successful candidates would be grouped for use in both the Premier League or the Nigerian National League (NNL).
He said they would join the 48 others who had taken part in the FIFA Fitness Test which took place some months ago.
“We will now put them into groups for selection to officiate in the two leagues on the basis of their grades and performance in the test.
“They will be joined by the 26 FIFA-badged referees and the 22 young referee talents we had earlier identified for development.
“These ones had already done their test earlier during the FIFA Fitness Test, and have thus qualified to officiate in the two
leagues by virtue of their status and past performances,’’ he said.
Maude however said the unsuccessful candidates still have a chance to redeem themselves.
“As it is now, they can’t take part in officiating in the leagues, based on the result. But we will give them another chance in February, when there will be another test,” he said.
Liverpool’s season of abject misery worsened as they were beaten with embarrassing ease by a hugely impressive Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s Premier League champions were looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Manchester City, but instead ran into a Forest side revitalised under new manager Sean Dyche and looking back to their best.
Liverpool head coach Slot gave £125m British record signing Alexander Isak a start, but he was totally anonymous once more and only lasted 67 minutes.
Forest went ahead after 33 minutes when defender Murillo shot powerfully past fit-again Liverpool keeper Alisson to subdue an already anxious Anfield.
Igor Jesus had a second ruled out for handball, but Forest doubled their advantage 39 seconds after the break when former Liverpool defender Neco Williams set up Nicola Savona for a crisp finish in front of The Kop.
Liverpool could barely raise a response in a desperate display, Forest increasing their lead 12 minutes from time when Morgan Gibbs-White scored after Alisson saved from Omari Hutchinson.
It means Liverpool, who lie 11th before Saturday’s late fixture, have now lost six of their past seven Premier League games as Slot’s near £450m summer spending spree comes under further scrutiny.
Forest, meanwhile, are surging away from the relegation zone and are up to 16th.
Michael Olise scored twice and provided a hat-trick of assists as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from two goals down to thrash Freiburg.
The visitors stunned the defending champions by taking a 2-0 lead after just 17 minutes when Yuito Suzuki scored from close range and Johan Manzambi rose highest to head home Jan-Niklas Beste’s corner.
Bayern, who had not lost in the league since March, responded superbly and had restored parity by half-time.
Teenager Lennart Karl fired into the bottom corner from Olise’s pass in the 22nd minute and set up the Frenchman for a fierce finish in first-half injury-time, although Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu should have done better.
Bayern took control in the second period as Dayot Upamecano headed home Olise’s corner to put them ahead for the first time.
England captain Harry Kane netted his 14th league goal of the campaign on the hour mark, before Olise made it three assists when he threaded a pass through for Nicolas Jackson to finish at the first time of asking in the 78th minute.
Winger Olise completed a sensational afternoon with his second of the game six minutes later, driving at the Freiburg defence and curling into the far corner.
A 10th victory in the first 11 games left Bayern eight points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, while Freiburg remain 10th in the standings.
Vincent Kompany’s side visit Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday with both sides having a perfect record of four wins so far in the league phase of the competition.
AS FAR Morocco Win African Women’s Champions League (8)
AS FAR held firm to beat debutants ASEC Mimosas 2-1 in the African Women’s Champions League final and become continental champions for the second time.
Hanane Ait El Haj put the Moroccan club ahead from the penalty spot in the 13th minute after Safa Banouk had been tripped by Aboa Yapo.
ASEC Mimosas rallied after the break and Ami Priscal Diallo netted a fine header from Sopie Brou’s cross to drag the Ivory Coast club level 10 minutes into the second half.
But AS FAR were handed a second spot-kick in the closing stages when Noura Diarra committed a rash challenge on Sofia Bouftini.
This time it was Zineb Redouani who stepped up to stroke home in the 85th minute and restore her side’s lead.
Asastasie Gbehi came close to forcing extra time but she poked wide of the post in stoppage time, and the centre-back was sent off after the full-time whistle for dissent.
AS FAR move level with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns as two-time winners of the title, having first lifted the trophy in 2022.
The Rabat-based side will now take on Chinese’s Wuhan Jiangda on 14 December for a place at next year’s Fifa Women’s Champions Cup.
The winner of that match will face European champions Arsenal in the semi-finals of the inaugural competition early next year in London.
-
Featured4 days agoOil & Gas: Rivers Remains The Best Investment Destination – Fubara
-
Nation4 days ago
MOSIEND Calls For RSG, NDDC, Stakeholders’ Intervention In Obolo Nation
-
Nation5 days ago
Hausa Community Lauds Council Boss Over Free Medical Outreach
-
Nation5 days agoOgoni Power Project: HYPREP Moves To Boost Capacity Of Personnel
-
Nation5 days ago
Association Hails Rivers LG Chairmen, Urges Expansion Of Dev Projects
-
Nation5 days ago
Film Festival: Don, Others Urge Govt To Partner RIFF
-
News4 days agoNDLEA Arrests Two, Intercepts Illicit Drugs Packaged As Christmas Cookies
-
News4 days agoTroops Rescue 12 Abducted Teenage Girls In Borno