Connect with us

Sports

157 Referees Fail Fitness Test

Published

on

About 30 per cent of referees who participated in the National Fitness Test of the Nigeria

(Football) Referees Association last week failed to make the mark, the association has said.

According to the test’s analysis made available on Tuesday in Abuja by the association’s National Publicity Secretary,

Mrs Serah Adebisi, 157 of the 506 participants failed.

The Tidesports reports that 347 participants passed in the test which took place at the Abuja National Stadium from Nov. 22 to Nov. 26, 2011.

Lagos which had the highest number of 37 participants also had the highest number of 30 successful candidates, with Oyo

closely behind with 25 of 34 candidates being successful.

Kaduna also had 19 of its 26 candidates coming out successful, while Niger had only 13 of its 25 candidates passing the test.

Plateau had the biggest success rate with only two of its 24 candidates failing, while the FCT had eight of its 23 participants

failing.

Benue also had 14 candidates successful out of 23, Ondo had 13 of its 20 candidates passing, while Abia had eight candidates failing out of 19.

Also, Kwara had 13 successful out of 19, Imo with 12 of 19 successful and Rivers with 14 successful out of 18, while Bauchi had all its 17 candidates coming out successful.

Yobe and Zamfara were as successful as Bauchi, with five and four candidates respectively, while Sokoto and Kebbi had one candidate unsuccessful out of eight and four candidates respectively.

Borno which presented two candidates had both of them failing, while Jigawa with four and Ebonyi with six had only one candidate each coming out successful.

Tidesports  reports that the test which had participants from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT had consisted 150 metres in 32 secs, shuttle walking races and 12 rounds of 300 metres races.

Speaking to The Tidesports on the test result, NRA President Ahmed Maude said the successful candidates would be grouped for use in both the Premier League or the Nigerian National League (NNL).

He said they would join the 48 others who had taken part in the FIFA Fitness Test which took place some months ago.

“We will now put them into groups for selection to officiate in the two leagues on the basis of their grades and performance in the test.

“They will be joined by the 26 FIFA-badged referees and the 22 young referee talents we had earlier identified for development.

“These ones had already done their test earlier during the FIFA Fitness Test, and have thus qualified to officiate in the two

leagues by virtue of their status and past performances,’’ he said.

Maude however said the unsuccessful candidates still have a chance to redeem themselves.

“As it is now, they can’t take part in officiating in the leagues, based on the result. But we will give them another chance in February, when there will be another test,” he said.

Continue Reading

Sports

European Giants Circle For Osimhen

Published

on

Victor Osimhen will be the centre of attention as several of Europe’s biggest clubs send scouts to yesrerday’s Intercontinental Derby between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, with the Nigerian forward set to play a decisive role in the Super Lig title race

Representatives from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Juventus were expected to be present at Rams Park, underlining the scale of interest in both the fixture and its standout performers.

Reports in Turkish media indicate that the derby will serve not only as a key moment in the domestic title race but also as a platform for transfer discussions and strategic collaborations between clubs.

According to those reports, top European sides have secured places at the stadium with a dual purpose.

“Europe’s leading representatives will be present at the stadium within the framework of both player transfer and cooperation,” ,” Milliyet reported.

“Real Madrid, Barcelona, among many clubs, including Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Napoli and Juventus, have made reservations for today’s match.”

Osimhen was expected to be among the primary players under observation, alongside teammates Baris Yilmaz and Gabriel Sara, with scouts closely monitoring their performances in one of the most high-profile fixtures in Turkish football.

The report further noted, “Victor Osimhen, Yilmaz and Sara were at the top of the watch list and that the interest would mainly be in these players.”

It also highlighted broader discussions beyond player recruitment, stating, “Apart from this, ideas will be exchanged for strengthening relations between the clubs and new joint agreements.”

The Nigerian striker’s presence came at a crucial point in the season, with Galatasaray holding a four-point lead over second-placed Fenerbahce and knowing that victory would all but secure the league title with three matches remaining.

Osimhen recently returned from injury, making a brief appearance in the cup defeat to Genclerbirligi after missing four games, a period during which Galatasaray’s form showed signs of inconsistency.

His absence coincided with a mixed run of results in April, where the league leaders recorded two wins, one draw and one defeat, including a loss to Trabzonspor and a draw at home to Kocaelispor.

Defensively, Galatasaray have also shown vulnerability, conceding in each of their last six matches across all competitions, a concern ahead of a fixture that could define their campaign.

The derby follows disappointment in the Turkish Cup, where Galatasaray suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to Genclerbirligi, while Fenerbahce were also knocked out after a 1-0 loss to Konyaspor

Continue Reading

Sports

Tennis Event Boosts Grassroots Development Push

Published

on

A tennis tournament held in honour of Olusola Odumosu, Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps FCT Command, has been described as a major step towards grassroots sports development and youth engagement.

The three-day competition, staged at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, began midweek , last week and ended on Friday, attracting young players across different categories.

On the court, top-ranked player Canice Abua won the men’s singles title after a hard-fought 7-5, 6-4 victory over Lucky Danjuma, who is ranked fourth nationally.

In the boys’ category, Unity Alex defeated Khaleed Dalha in straight sets to win the title, while Salvation Alex triumphed over Opeyemi Olademeji to win the girls’ singles event.

Odumosu, who marked his birthday with the event, said the initiative was designed to uncover young talent and strengthen the foundation of tennis development in Nigeria.

Continue Reading

Sports

W/Cup Qualifier: Flamingos In Impressive Opener

Published

on

Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, opened their preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers with a dominant 6-0 victory over Generation Next in Abuja as head coach Akeem Ishola Busari continues to shape his squad.

The emphatic win came during a 60-minute friendly at the Goal Project at the weekend, where the Flamingos took control early and led 4-0 at half-time before the match was halted in the 54th minute due to heavy rain.

Goals were spread across the squad, with Shavih Istifanus opening the scoring inside the first minute, followed by a brace from Tobiloba Sarafa in the 10th and 23rd minutes.

Harmony Chidi added the fourth in the 28th minute, while Aminat Adebisi struck just before half-time and Precious Paul completed the scoring early in the second half.

The match forms part of a busy training camp in Abuja, where Busari has invited 36 players as Nigeria step up preparations for their second-round qualifier against Guinea.

Continue Reading

Trending