Sports

Dream Team Flies Out To Rio, Today

Published

10 years ago

August 1, 2016

Chelsea star Mikel Obi
and the rest of the Nigeria Olympic team, Dream Team VI, will now fly out for the Rio Olympics from Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States of America today after they failed to do so on Friday as their tickets were not ready.
“We will now leave for Brazil on Monday (today) after we could not fly out on Friday because our tickets were not ready,” a team official told Tidesports source.
“In the meantime, we have changed to a better hotel pending our departure.”
The Dream Team VI has been training in Atlanta for the past one month.
The African champions begin their campaign in Rio on Friday against Asian champions Japan.
Sweden and Colombia are the other teams in their first round group.

Sports

Nigerian to ‘referee’ at World Relays in Botswana

Published

8 minutes ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

Former Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Retired Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, will be at the very center of decision-making in May 2026, when the world’s fastest relay teams stormed the track in Gaborone, Botswana, Tidesports source reports.

Nesiama has just been appointed as an International Referee for the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 2026, becoming the first Nigerian in history to earn such responsibility at the prestigious global event.

The World Athletics Relays, slated for May 2–3, ranks among the most elite competitions on the international athletics calendar.
For Nigeria, Nesiama’s selection signals more than representation, it represents recognition.

The Local Organising Committee confirmed his appointment, citing his proven expertise and the confidence World Athletics has in his capacity to maintain integrity, precision and professionalism at the highest level of the sport.

It was under Nesiama as AFN Technical Director in 2013 that Nigeria produced the likes of Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume and Divine Oduduru at youth and junior championships.

At the 2024 African Games in Accra, Nesiama served as Referee, overseeing technical operations with distinction at one of Africa’s largest sporting gatherings.

His role extended beyond the field of play, as he was also engaged by World Athletics as a certified lecturer to prepare Ghanaian technical officials ahead of the Games, a testament to his standing within global athletics structures.

His administrative influence at home remains equally significant.
Nesiama, now chairs the Technical and Development Commission of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), told The Guardian on Friday that he will continue to shape the technical direction of Nigerian sport, if given the chance to do so.

Ahead of the World Relays, Nesiama will also officiate at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, a key preparatory meet serving as a test event for the global championship.

Sports

2026 WC: Nigeria, DR Congo Awaits FIFA Verdict Today

Published

8 minutes ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

Barring any last-minute delays, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is expected to deliver a ruling on today, on a petition filed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) challenging the eligibility of Congolese players during last year’s 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers.

At the heart of the protest are allegations that up to nine players fielded by the Democratic Republic of the Congo violated domestic nationality laws that prohibit dual citizenship. Nigeria lost the decisive playoff on penalties in Morocco, a result that initially sent DR Congo to the intercontinental playoffs.

Monday’s decision could prove pivotal, determining which country claims Africa’s lone slot in next month’s intercontinental playoff against the winner of Jamaica and New Caledonia, scheduled to hold in Mexico in March 2026.

The NFF’s petition specifically names players including Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe, arguing that they were wrongly cleared to represent DR Congo despite reportedly holding European passports, contrary to Congolese law.

NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi said Nigeria’s case is backed by verifiable documentation.

“The petition covers nine DR Congo players. FIFA was misled into clearing them because it does not interpret domestic citizenship laws. Congolese law forbids dual nationality, yet some of the players involved allegedly hold foreign passports. What we are saying is that the process was fraudulent,” he stated.

Nigerian officials also cite FIFA’s recent sanctions against Malaysia as evidence that the world football body treats player eligibility violations with utmost seriousness when supported by credible proof.

Meanwhile, unease persists within Nigerian football circles over the reported role of Véron Mosengo-Omba, Secretary General of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), a Swiss-Congolese national and close associate of FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Sources allege that officials from DR Congo and other Francophone nations are exerting influence within FIFA to secure a favourable outcome, amid fears that the strength of Nigeria’s evidence could tilt the verdict.

With both Nigeria and DR Congo reportedly prepared to approach the Court of Arbitration for Sport if dissatisfied with FIFA’s ruling, the governing body is said to be treating the case with exceptional caution to avoid legal and reputational fallout.

Sports

NSF 2026: Slow Pace Of Work Worry Stakeholders In Enugu

Published

8 minutes ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

IS Enugu State still ready to host the 2026 National Sports Festival in November this year? That is the question that many stakeholders are asking following an alleged “slow pace of work” on the facilities slated for the games

The stakeholders are also worried that since the Main Organising Committee (MOC) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) met in September last year, the LOC has not met again to continue work on the festival.

The MOC and the LOC met on September 15, 2026 and agreed on early preparations for the Festival.
Among other things, members were updated on the state of the facilities and ongoing construction works after which they agreed to meet again in October 2025 to further assess readiness and provide guidance as preparations advance.

Among the facilities slated for the games is the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, which the LOC said would be revamped comprehensively to make it “unrecognisable.”
The LOC also said that a brand new multi-purpose games village will be constructed at the Awgu Games Village site, while a new Olympic-sized swimming pool would be built for the games.

But some stakeholders said yesterday that since the last meeting in 2025, members of the LOC have not been carried along “and we don’t know what is going on.”
A stakeholder at the NSC told The Guardian yesterday that Enugu State has “kept everybody in the dark and we don’t know what is going on.”

The stakeholder, who pleaded anonymity, said: “They are supposed to build a swimming pool for the festival, but up till now work has not started on the facility.

“When we asked some members of the LOC they told us that they could not give us any answer, and alleging that they were not being carried along.

“We are supposed to start test running some of these facilities as early as June if they are to be used for the festival.

“What we hear that Enugu State is busy recruiting athletes from Delta and Edo states as they want to win the festival. It is good to strive to win the games, but it should also put the facilities in place first.”

Reacting to the complaints, Enugu State Commissioner for Sports, Llyod Ekweremadu, said: “Let me assure the sporting public there is nothing to worry about. The work is going to be done. The primary work has already been done and the facilities will be available ahead of the Festival. There shouldn’t be cause for concern.”

He acknowledged that work has not yet started on the swimming pool, adding, however, that “construction would soon start and it would be completed ahead of schedule.”
On the complaints by some LOC members that they are not being carried along, Ekweremadu said that he is not aware of any members not being carried along.

“We have a platform where we all communicate. So, if there’s anybody that feels such a way, it has not been communicated on that platform or to me directly. So I’m not aware of that.”