Sports
Squash Players Seek Overhaul Of Board
Some squash fans yesterday called for a change in leadership of the Nigeria Squash Federation (NSF), alleging that the outgoing administration led by its President, Femi Ajagbe, performed poorly.
They spoke in Lagos against the backdrop of the National Sports Commission (NSC’s) directive that elections into the National Sports Federation would commence in April, with zonal elections.
A former national player, Friday Omeben, told Tidesports that the outgoing administration had not performed well.
“His tenure was not quite successful because he did not initiate any competition since those are part of the indices used in assessing performance.
“We need somebody who knows squash and has a passion for it; it’s only in this country that those who are not sportsmen take over the helms of affairs in sports associations.
“If you ask some aspirants for the office where squash was first played, they may not know that it was first played in England in 1967. It’s a shame,” Omeben said.
Tunji Agbeleye, the proprietor, Agbeleye Squash Academy, said the outgoing president lacked administrative skills which rendered his tenure ineffective.
“He failed to run the federation effectively, which translated into his inability to demonstrate good leadership.
“To be a federation’s president, one has to have the impetus. You have to know people and associate with them. Ajagbe didn’t know enough individuals and corporate organisations to support him,’’ he said.
The country’s number one female player, Longdie Dashback, told Tidesports that the fact that squash was not growing shows that the federation had derailed from its primary objective.
“The fact that squash is not growing shows that something is wrong. Take for instance in 2010, I went for the Africa Senior Championships in South Africa and was not given any recognition.
“Players are not encouraged and there are no competitions, only the Lagos State Government organises some annual tournaments.
“What has the federation done for the growth of the sport? Nothing! We just hope to get a leader that has the interest of the sport at heart,” Dashback said.
Sodiq Taiwo, another one-time ranked player, said that the outgoing president did not deserve a second chance because of his inability to secure sponsors.
“They are just there doing nothing, now it is the players that look for sponsors and organise tournaments which should not be in a sane federation.
“Even if they can’t organise tournaments for us, what about grassroots development programmes? We want fresh people with new ideas that can be beneficial to us,” Taiwo said.
President, Professional Squash Players of Nigeria Association (PSPNA), Seun Peters, said that irrespective of the result of the proposed elections, the association would be supported.
“We are going to work with anybody that becomes the president and his board,’’ he said.
When contacted, Ajagbe said that the allegations against him were unfounded as squash under him was one of the most vibrant federations.
He said that it was only natural for some individuals to rate other people’s performance poorly.
Ajagbe said that he became the Vice-President of Africa Squash Association based on his achievements as president of the federation and urged his critics to be objective.
“Our federation has taken part in international competitions for the past three years, a feat that most federations could not achieve.
“You can’t do it all, so, it is natural for people to complain. I am not perturbed, being the vice president in Africa shows that outsiders appreciate and recognise my efforts.
“I love criticism, it makes one better as long as it is constructive,” Ajagbe added.
Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has said that criticism that he and other players chased money by moving to Saudi Arabia is wide of the mark.
The 33-year-old left Chelsea for Al-Ahli in a £16m ($21.4m) deal in 2023, and in May the Africa Cup of Nations winner helped his Saudi club win the Asian Champions League, making him one of the few players to win both that competition and its European equivalent.
But, like many others, Mendy has been criticised for playing for money rather than prestige in the lucrative Saudi Pro League.
When asked about such criticism, Mendy told a Tidesports source, “Al-Ahli’s project came along and they made me feel I had a big role to play.
“Two years later, we won the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history. So yes, that validates my choice. And I hope the coming years will validate it even more.”
He added: “Some people will quickly jump to conclusions and say the only reason is money. From the start, I always said that when I left Chelsea, I knew I was joining another team where I could win everything , which was no longer the case at Chelsea.”
The Blues have since won the Conference League, Europe’s third-tier club competition, under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
But it comes after the regime’s trophyless first two years, a period which has frustrated some supporters after the success enjoyed under Roman Abramovich’s stewardship in the previous 19 years.
Mendy has also been celebrating what he describes as a historical win with Senegal against England at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, but days earlier he had been in Dakar delivering a different kind of win.
He is the sponsor of Yakaar, a school in Keur Massar, which seeks to improve funding and access to digital learning tools for local children from underprivileged backgrounds.
Famously, as Mendy grew up in France, he was unemployed, aged 22, while struggling to find a club, with members of his family still living on the outskirts of Dakar.
That is why Yakaar, a word meaning “hope”, was chosen, a word Mendy has carried with him in his career.
“Hope is what kept me going. When I was without a club, it was the hope of getting that first professional contract.
“Then the hope of playing for the national team. The hope of making my family proud by doing the job I had always dreamed of.
“Indeed, hope is the best word to describe my career.”
Mendy was also asked whether the responsibility of being an African goalkeeper had weighed heavily on him.
“Of course. When I was in England, there weren’t many African goalkeepers in top clubs,” he admitted.
“Whether nationally or internationally, I had that responsibility. It’s the same for other African goalkeepers like Andre Onana [Manchester United] or Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal).”
The entire refereeing committee has been fired by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), with structural reforms soon set to follow.
According to sources, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has dismissed the entire refereeing committee in response to mounting pressure from clubs demanding structural reform. A major shake-up aimed at modernising Spanish refereeing from top to bottom has now been set in motion.
Head of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), Luis Medina Cantalejo and Head of VAR, Carlos Clos Gomez, have been removed from their positions. They are joined by several senior officials, including Antonio Rubinos Perez and three vice presidents, who are also stepping down. A new leadership model will be introduced, led by a CEO and a sporting director, aiming to overhaul how refereeing is managed covering assessments, promotions, and daily operations. While the leadership changes are sweeping, the current pool of referees in La Liga and the second tier will remain, ensuring continuity on the field during the transition.
Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a new two-year contract with Al-Nassr that means he will stay with the Saudi Pro League club until beyond his 42nd birthday.
The Portugal captain, 40, joined the Riyadh-based team in December 2022 after leaving Manchester United in acrimonious circumstances, having criticised the club and said he had no respect for manager Erik ten Hag.
Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr deal had been due to expire at the end of June and there was speculation he could leave, but that has now been quashed.
In a post on X, Ronaldo wrote: “A new chapter begins. Same passion, same dream. Let’s make history together.”
Although Al-Nassr have not added to their nine domestic titles during Ronaldo’s time at the club, they have benefited from a flood of goals from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Ronaldo scored 35 times in 41 matches across all competitions last term and was the league’s top scorer for a second consecutive season.
He has managed 99 goals in appearances overall for Al-Nassr and is well on his way to reaching 1,000 senior goals in his career, with a current tally of 938 for club and country.
Having helped Portugal win the Uefa Nations League a little over two weeks ago, the former Manchester United, Real Madrid, Sporting and Juventus forward will almost certainly now be targeting a sixth World Cup appearance next summer.
Only a month ago, Ronaldo posted on social media to say “the chapter is over”.
That came after the Saudi Pro League wrapped up with Al-Nassr finishing third and trophyless once again.
The comment fuelled rumours that Ronaldo was ready to leave the league where he reportedly became the best-paid player in football history with an annual salary of £177m when he joined.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino raised the prospect of Ronaldo joining a team involved in the Club World Cup after Al-Nassr failed to qualify for the extended tournament which is being held in the United States.
Ronaldo said he had received offers from participating teams but had turned them down.
The decision to stay until at least 2027, which is certain to be highly lucrative, appears to rule out any future prospect of Ronaldo returning to play at the highest level in Europe.