Sports
Sports Fans Task Administrators On FIFA
Worried by frequent threats by the world football governing board, FIFA on Nigeria, sports fans in Port Harcourt have called on football administrators in Nigeria to close ranks.
The suspension on Nigeria last week which had nearly scuttled the Nigerian versus Guinea Nations Cup qualifier has been lifted temporarily but a lot of unresolved issues could still attract the ban.
According to sports fan, Ekhaisomi Osaro, Nigeria football administrators should use the grace window to settle their differences.
Osaro noted that Nigeria as a giant of African football could not claim to be ignorant of FIFA rules, especially as it frowns at government interference.
The football authorities must ensure that they play according to the rules to avoid further friction with FIFA.
“We all know that we must have all the administrative structures in place and settle any football dispute outside the court house. Teams must also be relegated at the end of season, not what sports minister Isa Bio tried to do.
“So my advise to the authorities is to end their quarrels to have a clear road map towards developing the game in the country,” he added.
On his part, a keen soccer follower, Emmanuel Uchis commended FIFA for temporarily lifting the ban.
He said most football fans in the country were not happy over the development, as they expected FIFA to have intervened and explored other options of resolving the crisis rather than suspend the country.
“The issue is that the new NFF board was taken to court by registered footballers for coming into offices in a crooked way.
“I think this should worry any well meaning Nigerian as we all know that some of the state FA chairmen tenure have expired,” he explained.
“I therefore think the ban was too hasty but thank God, it has been lifted,” Emmanuel said.
It would be recalled that FIFA had unbanned Nigeria till October 26, 2010 after suspending it for flaunting its regulations.
The statement lifting the suspension reads, “The FIFA Emergency Committee decided today, 8 October, to provisionally lift the suspension of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The decision was taken after observing that the situation had taken a positive turn in recent days, with the claimant at the origin of the court actions publicity committing himself to withdrawing his claims, the acting general secretary of the NFF returning to his post on October 5, 2010 and the issue of the Nigeria League being left totally within the ambit of the NFF,” the statement read.
In the same vein, sport fans on Tuesday in Lagos faulted FIFA’s claim that the Federal Government was interfering in the football administration in Nigeria.
The fans, who came under the aegis of sports stakeholders, urged the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to inform the world body that there was no government interference in soccer administration in Nigeria.
Speaking with newsmen, Martins Osaile, a sports and boxing promoter, said sports should be run by knowledgeable persons and not the ‘mafias’ who have hijacked it.
“There are some mafias behind the scene who do not want sports to move forward in this country, these people should first be flushed out of the system in order to revive sports,” he said.
Akonte Samuel
Sports
Gyokeres Situation, Transfer Under Cloud At Sporting

Sporting have not received an offer for striker Viktor Gyokeres and there is no gentleman’s agreement for him to leave for £59million, says club president Frederico Varandas.
Sweden international Gyokeres, 27, has been heavily linked with Manchester United and Arsenal after scoring 97 goals in 102 matches during two seasons in Portugal.
He has a 100m euro (£85m) release clause in his contract.
It has been widely reported that, after staying at Sporting last summer, Gyokeres and Sporting agreed he could leave for 70m euros (£59m) this summer.
However, Varandas said the club’s only promise to Gyokeres was that they would not demand his full release clause.
“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that,” Varandas said.
“To this day Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres, neither today nor last season.”
Gyokeres spent three seasons with Coventry City in the Championship before joining Sporting under Ruben Amorim.
Manchester City director of football Hugo Viana was sporting director at Sporting last summer, when Gyokeres’ agent sought assurances about his leaving if a suitable offer arrived.
“One of the agent’s biggest concerns was whether we would demand the termination clause,” said Varandas.
“He wanted to guarantee certain things. And what was agreed? That Sporting would not demand a release clause now.
“For one reason: he was going to be 27 years old and no player leaves Portugal at 27 for 100m eurors or 90m euros.
“In that same meeting the agent wanted to anchor the exit to a value. I said this sentence: ‘It’s not worth us setting a value because I don’t know what will happen in a year’s time. I don’t know if it will be 40m euros, 60m euros or 80m euros. What I can guarantee is that I will not demand 100 million euros.’”
Sports
Concacaf Opposes 64-Team W’Cup Plans

Concacaf President Victor Montagliani has criticised a proposal to expand the 2030 men’s World Cup to 64 teams.
The plans, put forward by South American governing body Conmebol, have also drawn opposition from Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The tournament will be hosted by Spain, Morocco and Portugal, after the opening matches are held in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The 2026 World Cup, which will take place across the United States, Mexico and Canada, has already been expanded from 32 to 48 teams.
But Conmebol said it wanted to add more participants to mark the competition’s 100-year anniversary.
“I don’t believe expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues, and players,” Montagliani told Tidesports source
“We haven’t even kicked off the new 48-team World Cup yet, so personally, I don’t think that expanding to 64 teams should even be on the table.”
Concacaf is the governing body of football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
The decision to expand the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams was taken in 2017 following a unanimous vote at a Fifa congress.
Fifa’s 75th congress will be held in Paraguay on 15 May, when Conmebol’s proposal could be discussed.
If the proposal is accepted, the 2030 edition would consist of 128 matches, double the number played under the 64-game format used from 1998 and 2022.
In March, Ceferin described the proposal as a “bad idea” while AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa said it would cause “chaos”.
“If the issue remains open to change, then the door will not only be open to expanding the tournament to 64 teams,” said Salman.
“But someone might come along and demand raising the number to 132 teams. Where would we end up then? It would become chaos.”
Sports
Brazil Edge Paraguay, Book W’Cup Spot

Brazil qualified for the 2026 World Cup this week with a 1-0 win against Paraguay in South American qualifying to give Carlo Ancelotti his first win as manager.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jnr scored from close range in the second half, finishing after fine work from Manchester United-bound playmaker Matheus Cunha.
The victory, Ancelotti’s first after a 0-0 draw against Ecuador on his debut last week, means Brazil has now qualified for every edition of the World Cup.
“We needed to win and qualify for the World Cup,” said Vinicius Jr.
“Now the coach will have more time to work. Of course today wasn’t one of our best performances, but the important thing is always to win.
“Now it’s time to celebrate qualifying.”
Elsewhere, World Cup holders Argentina played out an entertaining 1-1 draw with Colombia in Buenos Aires.
Liverpool winger Luis Diaz opened the scoring with a fine individual goal, dancing through three defenders before finishing past Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Argentina was reduced to 10 men with 20 minutes remaining when Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a high-boot challenge on Colombia’s Kevin Castano.
But Lionel Messi’s side found an equaliser nine minutes from the end through Lyon’s Thiago Almada, leaving Colombia four points clear of seventh-placed Venezuela.
Ecuador, Argentina’s nearest challengers, booked their spot at next summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States after a 0-0 draw away at Peru.
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