Sports
Rivers State University Wins First NUGA 2022 Gold
Rivers State University, on Monday, won their first gold medal at the ongoing NUGA Games at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), with its entrant in the women discuss, Glory Tochukwu, beating her counterparts from Kaduna State University (KASU), EuchariaOgbukwo and Linda Nwago of University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) to the silver and bronze medals.
In the male category, UNIPORT’s Etim Ekomobong won the gold medal, while Obafemi Awolowo University’s (OAU) Richard Fatoriji and AgbugbaIkechukwu of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umuahia, winning the silver and bronze medals respectively.
In men’s handball, UNILAG held Bayero University, Kano to a draw, while University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) beat Lagos State University. UNN women also beat Kaduna State University, while Bayero University defeated Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).
In women’s chess, UNIBEN defeated UNIZIK as OAU trashed University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), just as FUNAAB drew with FUTMINNA and UNILAG was held by with Unilorin.
University of Ibadan (U.I) had little to cheer in chess as UNIPORT beat them soundly.
Tidesports source reports that the highly anticipated swimming category delivered as promised with a shocker as the men’s 200m backstroke event saw underdogs, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) beating hosts, UNILAG, to the silver and Nile University taking the bronze medal.
In women table tennis semifinals, University of Calabar beat Niger Delta University, UI defeated IAUE, just as UNIBEN beat AdekunleAjasin University, Akungba, in women football.
In the football event, AbubakarTafawaBalewa University is top of Group A table with Nasarawa State University at the bottom. Group B has UNILAG leading the table, with OOU at the bottom; Unilorin heads Group C table with Sokoto State University at the bottom, while Federal University, Dutse, leads Group D with U.I at the bottom of the table.
UNILAG got its first gold medal at the weekend through Naomi NnamdiChinyere, who outpaced 12 other contestants in the steady 5000 metres walk-race (women category). She recorded in 33 minutes, 27 seconds to beat HabibatAdeshina from UNILORIN and Rita Odigbo of UNIPORT to the second and third positions.
In the men’s category, ApebuAkugbe James of Benson Idahosa University won the gold medal,Danladi Philemon of the University of Maiduguri won silver, while AbdulfataiAbdulahi of Osun State University placed third.
In Basketball, UNILAG’s men defeated UNIBEN 41 to 33 in their opening game, just as the Niger Delta University beat Unilorin in the same event.
In the women category, OAU beat Lead City University, while UNILAG, Lagos State University and the Bayero University had walk over victories in the sport. The competition continues today in all the events holding at UNILAG Sports Centre and TeslimBalogun Stadium.
Rivers State University Wins First NUGA 2022 Gold.
Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUT), on Monday, won their first gold medal at the ongoing NUGA Games at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), with its entrant in the women discuss, Glory Tochukwu, beating her counterparts from Kaduna State University (KASU), EuchariaOgbukwo and Linda Nwago of University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) to the silver and bronze medals.
In the male category, UNIPORT’s EtimEkomobong won the gold medal, while ObafemiAwolowo University’s (OAU) Richard Fatoriji and AgbugbaIkechukwu of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umuahia, winning the silver and bronze medals respectively.
In men’s handball, UNILAG held Bayero University, Kano to a draw, while University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) beat Lagos State University. UNN women also beat Kaduna State University, while Bayero University defeated Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).
In women’s chess, UNIBEN defeated UNIZIK as OAU trashed University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), just as FUNAAB drew with FUTMINNA and UNILAG was held by with Unilorin.
University of Ibadan (U.I) had little to cheer in chess as UNIPORT beat them soundly.
Tidesports source reports that the highly anticipated swimming category delivered as promised with a shocker as the men’s 200m backstroke event saw underdogs, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) beating hosts, UNILAG, to the silver and Nile University taking the bronze medal.
In women table tennis semifinals, University of Calabar beat Niger Delta University, UI defeated IAUE, just as UNIBEN beat AdekunleAjasin University, Akungba, in women football.
In the football event, AbubakarTafawaBalewa University is top of Group A table with Nasarawa State University at the bottom. Group B has UNILAG leading the table, with OOU at the bottom; Unilorin heads Group C table with Sokoto State University at the bottom, while Federal University, Dutse, leads Group D with U.I at the bottom of the table.
UNILAG got its first gold medal at the weekend through Naomi NnamdiChinyere, who outpaced 12 other contestants in the steady 5000 metres walk-race (women category). She recorded in 33 minutes, 27 seconds to beat HabibatAdeshina from UNILORIN and Rita Odigbo of UNIPORT to the second and third positions.
In the men’s category, ApebuAkugbe James of Benson Idahosa University won the gold medal,Danladi Philemon of the University of Maiduguri won silver, while AbdulfataiAbdulahi of Osun State University placed third.
In Basketball, UNILAG’s men defeated UNIBEN 41 to 33 in their opening game, just as the Niger Delta University beat Unilorin in the same event.
In the women category, OAU beat Lead City University, while UNILAG, Lagos State University and the Bayero University had walk over victories in the sport. The competition continues today in all the events holding at UNILAG Sports Centre and TeslimBalogun Stadium.
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.