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NSC Takes Steps To Check Doping

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The National Sports Commission (NSC) has said that it would, henceforth, conduct regular doping tests on Nigerian athletes, as the country prepares for the Commonwealth Games and the 2016 Olympics.

Sports Minister, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, said this in Abuja at the opening ceremony of a two-day anti-doping workshop for national coaches and technical directors of the various sports in the country.

The workshop was jointly organised by the NSC and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The minister, who was represented by Alhassan Yakmut, the Director of Grassroots Sports Development in the NSC, said workshops on anti-doping would regularly be organised, to serve as pivots to checking the menace of doping.

Abdullahi, who doubles as Chairman of the NSC, said this would also nip the criminal and anti-social habit in the bud.

He said time had gone when athletes were made to suffer the punishment for doping violations alone.

The NSC boss said that coaches, technical directors, medical crew, other officials and organisations would now share in the punishments outlined for doping violations.

“The NSC as a responsible sports regulation institution in Nigeria has consolidated on its endorsement of the International Anti-Doping Code by constituting the National Anti-Doping Committee.

“The committee is to conduct regular doping test and to provide a broad latitude of advocacy and education on the dangers of consuming performance enhancing drugs.

“It is of paramount importance to reiterate that the beauty of success in sports can only be holistically appreciated when the performance is natural and the preparation is orthodox and consistent with moral principles,’’ Abdullahi said.

The Secretary-General, Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO, Mrs Anene Maidoh, said the collaboration was to provide a legal framework for collective action by Governments to address unethical behavior in sports.

She said the fight against doping should be strengthened through legislation, regulations and administrative practices.

Brig-Gen. Johnny Hamakin, Chairman of the National Anti-Doping Committee (NADC), said the committee was working hard to ensure that the message of anti-doping got to the grassroots.

This, he said, would be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code, which Nigeria is signatory to, since 2003.

Hamakin pointed out that NADC, with the core mandate to midwife the establishment of a statutory and independent anti-doping agency, would drive a virile national anti-doping programme for the country.

He, however, called for the collective responsibility of all stakeholders in sports, to ensure a “clean sports’’ for the country.

Mr Sani Ndanusa, President , the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), noted that the fight against doping was a fight for all.

“The science, investigation and level of doping is increasing every day and I must say, so far, Nigeria is doing quite well, apart from what happened to our athletes at the last Commonwealth Games.

“Most of the developing areas include weightlifting and since then, we have been having clean lifters and clean weightlifting projects.

“That is why we are stepping up our campaign up to the grassroots.

“We are now trying to enlighten the athletes, the coaches, the administrators and all the corporate bodies that support sports.

“Henceforth, provision must be made for anti-doping desks in sports competitions, be it at the local, state or national levels,’’ Ndanusa said.

The two-day workshop, was attended by about 70 participants last week.

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Inter Best Juventus To Maintain Serie  A Lead

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Andrea Cambiaso scored at both ends during the first half of Saturday’s Derby d’Italia, before Pierre Kalulu’s red card forced Juventus to play the entire second half a man light.

Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito got Inter back in front with a bullet header, then Manuel Locatelli’s pinpoint finish looked to have salvaged a point for the Bianconeri, before Zielinski struck on the cusp of stoppage time.

Juventus made the brighter start, but they were masters of their own downfall in the 17th minute, when Cambiaso deflected Luis Henrique’s cross beyond Michele Di Gregorio.

Cambiaso atoned within nine minutes, catching Henrique on his heels when Weston McKennie’s cross squirmed through to the back post and applying a side-footed finish.

But after Bremer cleared Zielinski’s dinked effort off the line, Juve’s hopes were damaged when Kalulu received his second yellow card for a 42nd-minute pull on Alessandro Bastoni, though the Inter centre-back appeared to go down theatrically.

Di Gregorio made a remarkable stop to thwart Hakan Calhanoglu, but as Juventus dropped ever deeper, they were punished when substitute Esposito guided Federico Dimarco’s searching cross into the far corner with 76 minutes on the clock.

It looked like Inter would have to settle for a point when Locatelli whipped a wonderful finish into the bottom-left corner in the 83rd minute, but Zielinski had the final say as his 20-yard drive fizzed through Locatelli’s legs and beat Di Gregorio.

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Szoboszlai’s Real Madrid Dream Sparks Concern At Liverpool 

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A cloud of uncertainty has settled over Liverpool after comments from Hungary head coach Marco Rossi reignited speculation about Dominik Szoboszlai and Real Madrid.

Rossi, who has worked closely with Szoboszlai since his teenage years, revealed that the midfielder’s lifelong ambition is to play for the Spanish giants.

“Because of the very close and direct relationship I’ve had with Dominik since he was a child, Real Madrid has always been his dream,” Rossi said.

For a Liverpool side building around Szoboszlai as a centerpiece of Arne Slot’s project, those words landed hard.

Within hours of Rossi’s remarks, Szoboszlai interacted on social media with two Real Madrid players, applauding posts from Vinicius Junior and Trent Alexander-Arnold following Madrid’s win over Real Sociedad.

His reaction to Vinicius’ post drew particular attention. The exchange with Alexander-Arnold, his former Liverpool teammate, was seen as less surprising.

Still, in the hyper-connected world of elite soccer, even a digital thumbs-up can carry weight. On Merseyside, fans and pundits quickly began dissecting the meaning behind the interactions.

Szoboszlai, Hungary’s captain, has become one of Liverpool’s most influential players. That status is precisely why Rossi’s comments triggered such an intense reaction in England.

The midfielder had just delivered on the field as well, scoring in Liverpool’s 3-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield.

After the match, Mohamed Salah heaped praise on his teammate, calling Szoboszlai “the best player in the world.” Slot struck a slightly more measured tone but echoed the sentiment.

“I think there are many elite players in the world, but I definitely agree with Mo that he is one of them,” Slot said. “He is very important for us.”

Szoboszlai is under contract at Liverpool through 2028. However, the club is reportedly eager to open extension talks in the coming months to secure his long-term future.

The player himself addressed the situation recently with notable candor.

“There’s nothing yet, to be honest. Nothing from now on. It’s not in my hands. That’s how it works,” he said. “There’s no progress, but if the right offer comes, we’ll see.”

He was equally clear about his affection for Liverpool.

“We’ll see what happens. Hopefully everyone will be happy in the end. Of course I want to stay. I like the city, I like the club, I like playing with these guys. I love Anfield, I love the fans. Let’s see what the future brings. It’s not my fault. I’d love to stay. We’ll see.”

 

Inter’s dramatic victory boosted their lead over rivals AC Milan to eight points, ahead of the Rossoneri hosting Como on Wednesday. Juventus, meanwhile, could drop out of the top four as Roma visited Napoli last night.

The last four Serie A matches between Inter and Juventus have produced a total of 21 goals (an average of 5.25 per game), compared to just nine in the previous six (1.5 per game).

Cambiaso became the first player in Derby d’Italia history to score and put through his own net in the same match between these old rivals, but it was Zielinski’s fifth Serie A goal of the season that proved decisive.

Inter will argue they were deserved victors after amassing 21 shots and 1.88 expected goals (xG), while Luciano Spalletti’s visitors mustered 10 shots and 0.92 xG – though the Bianconeri actually attempted six of their shots while down a man in the second half.

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Wolves Beat Man Utd Conquerors

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Premier League strugglers Wolves overcame resolute Grimsby Town in challenging conditions at Blundell Park to reach the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of the side that eliminated Manchester United in the last round.

Santiago Bueno scored from Wolves’ only shot on target with an hour played, diverting Joao Gomes’ cross past goalkeeper Jackson Smith with his thigh to end the League Two club’s resistance.

Unrelenting rainfall caused heavy ground underfoot and one penalty area in particular- that of Grimsby’s Smith in the first half – was already a quagmire before kick-off.

Charles Vernam shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box with just 43 seconds on the clock as Grimsby sought to catch their top-flight visitors cold.

Wolves had to wait until the 17th minute for their first opportunity of note, forward Tolu Arokodare firing over with a first-time attempt.

The white paint of the pitch markings soon blended and blurred with the mud as the surface rapidly deteriorated, and both sides struggled to stitch together cohesive attacks as passes travelled unpredictably across the sodden ground.

 

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