Sports
LMC Fines Ex-Eagles Star, Officials
The League Management
Company (LMC) last week said it had sanctioned two senior club officials, a coach and 12 match officials, including four referees and eight assistant referees.
In a statement, LMC said the 15 of them were charged under the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) rules for various acts considered inimical to the good of the game.
“The General Manager of FC Taraba of Jalingo, Tijani Babangida, and that of Heartland FC of Owerri, Okechukwu Ibe who is also a Director of LMC, have been fined N50,000 and N200,000 respectively.
“They were sanctioned for comments and behaviour which were in breach of some sections of the Code of Conduct for club officials under the NPFL rules,’’ the league organising body said.
LMC similarly said Abia Warriors’ Head Coach Ladan Bosso was fined N50,000 for comments it ruled to be in breach of regulations.
It said this was in line with Article 14 of the Code of Conduct for coaches and managers and Article C1 of the Framework and Rules of the NPFL.
“Babangida and Bosso were punished for public comments against referees, comments considered capable of bringing the league to disrepute, while Ibe was charged for acts capable of bringing the league to disrepute.
“This included excessive complaints against the referee during Heartland FC’s Match Day 11 fixture against Enyimba International.
“Babangida’s charge followed his comments to the media on the Match Day 11 fixture between El-Kanemi Warriors and FC Taraba, even after he had followed the official channels to lay a complaint about the officiating.
“This was even after he was aware that his complaint was being dealt with.
“Bosso’s charge is in relation to comments he made to the media against the referee after the Match Day 12 fixture between Rangers and Abia Warriors.
“The LMC believes he failed to act in an ethical and professional manner, in the best interest of the game, and he made statements capable of bringing the game to disrepute,” the statement said.
The LMC then asked all those sanctioned to within 48 hours accept the respective sanctions imposed or elect to defend themselves before a commission.
“They have all accepted the charges and apologised,’’ it said in the statement.
The LMC said it had also forwarded the cases of the match officials to the Referees Appointment Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
“We have requested that the listed officials’ performances be reviewed and they should be dropped from further officiating NPFL games, pending the conclusion of the review of their performance in some matches.
“In referring the case to the Committee, the LMC expressed dissatisfaction with their performances in some fixtures of Match Days 11 and 12,’’ the statement said.
It said referee Jerry Akure from Benue and his assistants, Aliyu Jingi of Bauchi State and Garba Musa from Yobe, were charged for below par handling of a match.
The match was the Match Day 11 fixture in Umuahia between Abia Warriors and Sunshine Stars.
“Referee Maaji Mohammed and his assistants Abbas J. and Alfa Gimba, all of Niger Referees Council, were charged for poor officiating in the fixture between El-Kanemi Warriors and FC Taraba, also on Match Day 11.
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
One of the greatest strikers of the past 15 years, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, is among the big names who will not be playing at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
The 37-year-old Barcelona striker, who has scored 89 goals for his country, was not able to inspire his side as they lost 3-2 in Stockholm against Sweden in Tuesday’s play-off final.
Lewandowski, who won the German Bundesliga title on 10 occasions, twice with Borussia Dortmund and then in eight successive seasons with Bayern Munich, before winning La Liga twice with Barca, may have played in his last major international tournament.
Lewandowski captained Poland at the World Cup in 2018, but did not score in Russia as his country came bottom of the group. He had a better tournament four years later in Qatar, scoring twice as Poland reached the last 16 before losing to France.
He netted four times in Group G in 2026 qualifying only for Poland to finish three points behind the Netherlands, before losing to Sweden on Tuesday.
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
Another star that will be missing in action at the mundial is Gialuigui Donnarumma of Italy.
Italy lost in the World Cup play-offs for a third successive qualifying tournament
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season since he moved from Paris St-Germain for £26m in September, after helping the French club win the Champions League last season.
Despite being player of the tournament as Italy won the 2020 European Championship, he misses out on a World Cup again after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.
Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund and Guinea)
Serhou Guirassy is Fourth in the list of Bundesliga top scorers this season
Serhou Guirassy has established himself as one of most prolific strikers playing in Europe, with 62 goals in the German Bundesliga over the past three seasons, while no player scored more than his 13 goals in the Champions League in 2024-25.
But he will not be at the World Cup as his country Guinea went out in the first round of African qualifying, finishing fourth in their group, with only four wins and three draws from their 10 matches.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia and PSG)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped Paris St-Germain become European champions last season, scoring in the 5-0 final win over Inter Milan, and he came 12th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards.
But Georgia had a miserable campaign in World Cup qualifying as they only picked up three points from a group that contained Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria.
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray and Nigeria)
Victor Osimhen has scored 26 goals for club and country this season
Victor Osimhen helped Napoli win Serie A in 2023 before moving to Galatasaray, where he grabbed 26 goals in 30 games to take them to the Turkish title last season.
Nigeria drew five of their 10 matches in the first group phase as they finished one point behind winners South Africa, but then had a second chance in the following play-off.
With Osimhen already substituted, Nigeria lost on penalties to DR Congo to miss out on the World Cup.
Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool and Hungary)
Dominik Szoboszlai has scored 12 goals for Liverpool this season
Liverpool and Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has impressed this season and scored some stunning long-range goals.
But he will not be at the World Cup after his country let a 2-1 lead slip in their final group game with the Republic of Ireland scoring twice in injury time to clinch a spot in the play-offs and eliminate Hungary.
Female wrestlers in action at Governor Diri Wrestling Classics.
Ondo State wrestlers dominated the women’s events on Day six of the fourth Governor Douye Diri Wrestling Classics in Yenagoa on Monday, claiming gold medals in two of the four women’s freestyle categories.
African champion Khadijat Idris of Ondo State led the charge in the 55kg division, defeating rising talent Mary Ayeloh of Bayelsa State by technical superiority to claim gold. Happiness Soso of Delta State and Augustine Rhoda of Lagos State took bronze medals in the category.
Damola Ojo also flew the Ondo flag proudly in the 76kg event, retaining her title after defeating all opponents in a round-robin format. Nigeria Army wrestler Laide Ojo settled for silver, while Juliet Ogo of Bayelsa State and Mercy Alison of Abia State each claimed bronze.
In the 62kg category, Patience Kakanda of Bayelsa State produced the upset of the day, defeating Nigeria Army’s Precious Tieberi 3-1 in the final to be crowned the new champion. Isioma Abojei of Delta State and Blessing Apah of Dynamite Club won bronze medals.
Rivers State’s Esther Asaolu also retained her title in the 59kg division, overcoming all her opponents in the round-robin format, with Patience Opuene of Bayelsa State finishing as runner-up.
In the men’s events, Solomon Ulabo of Bayelsa State claimed gold in the 79kg category, with Kpum Ayibasisei of Edo State taking silver and Rasheed Saliu of Ondo State and Ebisindei Okorie of Dynamite Club winning bronze. NewLife Ebikeme of Bayelsa State won the 92kg gold, ahead of Perezidei Obaze of Edo State in silver position, while Tobechukwu Udeh of the Nigeria Army and Timilehin Adekanmi of Ondo State claimed bronze medals.
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