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NFF Wants Overhaul Of Eaglets’ Crew

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The Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has recommended a total review of the technical crew of the Golden Eaglets, the Federation said  in Abuja last week.

The Federation’s Chief Media Officer, Mr Ademola Olajire, told newsmen that the recommendation was part of the committee’s decisions at its most recent meeting.

The committee, headed by NFF Executive Committee member, Mr Chris Green, had met at the Federation’s Glass House Secretariat in Abuja early last week, to deliberate on some issues.

“The committee thinks a total review of the Eaglets’ technical crew is necessary, given the fact that the team failed to qualify for the next edition of the African Junior Championship.”

“It decided on this move, in line with the Federation’s determination to avoid any age-cheating controversy and the fact that the team should be the bedrock of our football development,” Olajire said.

It will be recalled that the Eaglets’ coaching crew was headed by Monday Odigie, who had assisted John Obuh in the Eaglets’ team that finished second at the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Cup held in Nigeria.

He said the committee, in line with NFF’s determination on grassroots football development, also decided to propose guidelines for the establishment of football academies in the country.

 “This has been on ground some time, and in fact there is a proposal before the NFF Technical Department on this.”  

“The committee is now going to fast-track action on this and very soon it will come up with the guidelines,” the NFF spokesman said.

Olajire, who pointed out that all the committee’s decisions were recommendations to the NFF Executive Committee, said the committee also discussed the restructuring of the Federation’s Technical Department. 

“The Committee proposed to restructure the Federation’s Technical Department in line with international standards and according to the yearnings of Nigerians.”

“In addition to this, it is proposing training programmes for all Nigerian football coaches in order to update them on the game’s modern techniques and tactics.”

“To add to that and ensure home-grown football talents are adequately harnessed, the committee is considering using technical assessors for all league matches played in the country,’’ he said.  

On the issue of the new Super Eagles head coach’s programme, Olajire said the committee approved the programme submitted by Samson Siasia in the short term.

“A part of this programme saw Siasia departing for Europe at the weekend to meet with a number of Nigerian international players who are abroad.” 

“He will discuss with them, outline his programme to them and they will discuss on how to work together,’’ he said.

The NFF spokesman, however, said the committee was still holding consultations with Siasia on the issue of the Eagles’ backroom staff and would make its decision known very soon.   

He disclosed further that the Technical Committee also approved the recommendation of the appointment of Augustine Eguavoen, as Head Coach of the national Under-23 men’s team.

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Chess Championship: Dan-Jumbo Emerges Best Female Player

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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

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Siasia Blames NFF Over FIFA Ban

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Former Super Eagles Coach, Samson Siasia says the Nigeria Football Federation supported FIFA to have him banned for alleged involvement in match-fixing in August 2019.
In a recent interview with Athlist, the 56-year-old, whose ban ends in a few months, said the NFF not only refused to support him but also carried out FIFA’s instruction not to let him know he was under investigation by the world football body.
“Nigeria abandoned me at that time of need; that’s my own take on how this thing played out,” the former Eagles striker and member of the 1994 AFCON-winning squad, said.
“It’s an allegation; they said bribery. What is bribery? Is it not when money changes hands? Was there any proof of that? There were none.
“I spoke with someone who was trying to hire me as a coach in Australia. I didn’t know the guy was a match-fixer, but FIFA knew this guy. Why would they allow him to be around any FIFA tournament?
“So, when they found out through emails, our correspondence about how this guy would take me to Australia, I played in Australia, so I felt it would be nice to go back there.
“We talked about how much salaries, transfers, bonuses, and sign-on fees were, and that was all.
“When FIFA was looking for me, I didn’t even know. I am not affiliated with FIFA; their affiliation is with the NFF. So, they went to the NFF and told them not to let me know that they were investigating me. But if they didn’t tell me, how was I supposed to defend my self Siasia added, “Then they sent me a letter, but it went to my spam. It was two days before the ban that I found out that FIFA was looking for me.
Siasia added, “Then they sent me a letter, but it went to my spam. It was two days before the ban that I found out that FIFA was looking for me.
“Then we started to see how we could communicate with them to see how I could have a hearing. But they said the time had elapsed and I should go to the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport).

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WADA Plans Review Of Failed Tests

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The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will launch an independent review after 23 Chinese swimmers were cleared to compete at the Tokyo Olympics despite testing positive for a banned substance.
WADA has said it was not in a position to disprove an assertion from the China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) that contamination was the source of the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) for which the swimmers tested positive.
Findings of the independent investigation, led by Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier, are expected to be delivered within two months.
“WADA’s integrity and reputation is under attack,” said Wada president Witold Banka.
“WADA has been unfairly accused of bias in favour of China by not appealing the CHINADA case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“We continue to reject the false accusations and we are pleased to be able to put these questions into the hands of an experienced, respected and independent prosecutor.”
United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) Chief Executive Travis Tygart said WADA and CHINADA had swept these positives under the carpet, claims WADA described as completely false and defamatory while adding that it had referred the comments to its lawyers.
Aquatics GB said it was extremely concerned by the allegations, which it said threatened “potential loss of trust and reputational damage to sport”.
WADA was notified of CHINADA’s decision in June 2021, ahead of the delayed Games, and said it had no evidence to challenge China’s findings and that external counsel had advised against appealing.
In addition to the independent investigation, WADA said it will send a compliance audit team to assess the state of China’s anti-doping programme and invite independent auditors “from the broader anti-doping community” to join the trip.
WADA director general Olivier Niggli said: “While not one shred of evidence has been presented to support any of the allegations made against WADA, we wish to deal with the matter as quickly and as comprehensively as possible so that the matter is appropriately handled in advance of the upcoming Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
Details of the positive tests were revealed by the New York Times, which shared reporting with German broadcaster ARD.
China won six swimming medals at the Tokyo Olympics, including three golds.

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