Sports

Protest Over Unpaid Bonuses Disrupts Nigeria’s Camp

Published

5 years ago

June 26, 2019

Nigeria’s preparation for today’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tie with Guinea suffered a setback as a bonus row took centre stage.
The Super Eagles had laboured to a hard-fought win over Burundi in their first game and could earn a ticket to the Round of 16 should they triumph over the National Elephants in Alexandria.
However, preparation suffered as Gernot Rohr’s men went on to complain about their unpaid bills.
Ahmed Musa failed to show up for yesterday’s pre-match conference ahead of the Guinea match, as the Al-Nassr player preferred to stay back with his colleagues for a ‘crucial’ player’s meeting at the Helnan Palestine Hotel.
“The player showed solidarity and had to stay back for an important meeting,” said coach Rohr when quizzed by the media.
Unpaid bonuses are not new in Nigerian football. First, it was the Nigeria U20 team who embarked on a sit-in protest and refused to leave Poland after their elimination from the FIFA U20 World Cup in Poland.
Recently, the Nigeria women’s senior national team, which was eliminated from the Women’s World Cup in France, declined to leave their hotel until all outstanding bonuses were paid – a claim the NFF denied, insisting Thomas Dennerby’s ladies were not owed.
Newsmen reached out to a top source of the country’s football house in Egypt and has been assured that the players would be settled before they take on Paul Put’s team at the Alexandria Stadium, today.
The three-time African champions top Group B with three points. They are two points above Guinea who were forced to a 2-2 draw by debutants Madagascar on Saturday.

Sports

Rivers Referee Academy To Produce FIFA Graded Referees Soon

Published

8 hours ago

May 8, 2024

The Tide

The coordinator of the Rivers State Referee Academy in Port Harcourt Coach Ere Dokubo said he foresee a situation where the academy would produce International referees in eight years to come.

According to him their target was to get the best in their early age that will officiate in FIFA organised football competitions.

Coach Dokubo made the assertion at the weekend in a chat with Tidesports in Port Harcourt , saying that students admitted into the academy are between eight and 13 years bracket.

He explained that Nigeria have not produced referees to officiate World cup games was because most of the referees did not start on time but believed that the academy would produce referees of that standard.

” We admit them in their early age between eight, nine and 13, the first phase just ended because it was an holiday programme as most of them are students.

” We are targeting to produce FIFA graded referees in the future.

” I believe in eight years to come some of these ones we are bringing up today will be FIFA graded referees out of them, some will officiate in the highest league that is Nigeria Professional Football League ( NPFL), why some will officiate in the lower league( NLO).

” I am optimistic that we must produce FIFA graded referees from the academy” Dokubo stated.

Kiadum Edookor

Sports

RSG Set To Host School Sports Competition Soon

Published

8 hours ago

May 8, 2024

The Tide

Rivers State Government has reiterates its commitment to host schools sports competitions in August this year, to boost grassroots sports development with the view to discover hidden talents.

The State Commissioner of sports Barrister Christopher Green, disclosed this on Saturday, in an interview with sports journalists, at the final of Strata base open national Karate Championship, held at Alfred Diete Spiff Sports Complex, Moscow road in Port Harcourt.

He said the intention of the State was to bring back sporting activities, as it used to be back in the days.

” Our intention was to catch them young and groom them to stardom. Three months from now we are going to organise school sports, where we can identify talents.

“In those days the likes of Oriji and Ken Saro Wiwa Cup were avenues to discover talents, we are now going back to organise such competitions.

” Apart from that we are also going to host Public Service games, this is coming up in November this year too”, Barrister Green said.

According to him, every corporate organisation that sponsored any sports competition would have something in returns.

” I want to say that since the inception of this administration led by Sir Siminialayi Fubara the State have being doing well tremendously and sporting activities is almost at the peak” he stated.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Chess Championship: Dan-Jumbo Emerges Best Female Player

Published

1 week ago

April 30, 2024

The Tide

The third edition of Naphtail Chess Open Championship which ended on Wednesday in Port Harcourt saw Rivers State born Queen Dan-Jumbo emerged best female player in the tournament following her impressive performance.

It was clash of the Titans as top Chess players in Nigeria gathered to chase honours.

The three days competition was held at Vee Hotel, Trans Amadi ,in Port Harcourt and over 80 players in Nigeria registered for the tournament this championship was recognised by International Chess Federation (FIDE).

Speaking with Tidesports in an exclusive interview on Saturday, Dan-Jumbo said her dream was to become Grand Master in Chess worldwide.

According to her, she started playing Chess at the age of 15 but went into it professionally in 2009 as she represented Rivers State in National Sports Festival (NSF) in Kaduna, the same year.

“I started playing Chess in the early 2000s. I picked the interest through my my elder brother as him and his friends always play Chess in our compound so I began to learn it.

” In 2009 I went to National Sports festival in Kaduna represented Rivers State and I won a silver medal on my board.

“In 2011 and 2012 NSFs I won two Gold medals each hosted by Rivers and Lagos States respectively. While in Edo NSF I won bronze medal” Dan-Jumbo said.

The Asari-Toru, in Rivers State born Chess player use the forum to advice upcoming Chess players to be focus, saying losing a game is part of every competition but the most important thing was that you don’t lose hope.

“My advice for upcoming chess players was that don’t lose focus. Even when you lose, find a way to adjust and get back out”, she added.

Tonye Orabere