Sports
CT AT 62: Sets Agenda For SWAN
Clinton Thompson (CT)
does not need any introduction to most practitioners still circulating in the Mass Media industry in Nigeria, particularly in the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).
A thorough-bred journalist and communication professional, Clinton Thompson was General Manager of Bayelsa Radio, Yenagoa, until two years ago when he retired from service. He turns 62 on Wednesday.
CT who spent his most active years in service at the Radio Rivers and Rivers SWAN is knowledgeable in all the genres of journalism but made sport writing which gave him national limelight his forte.
He was founding member of Rivers SWAN, Vice Chairman of National SWAN for two terms. He also created the CAIRA (Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Rivers and Abia) amalgamation of SWAN and was honoured by the government of Col Dauda Musa Komo of Rivers State as the best influence in sports commentary education.
As Rivers SWAN Chairman, Clinton Thompson ensured that sports journalists were regularly trained and updated through seminars, workshops and symposia.
He created a Sports Hall of Fame in Rivers State, the first of its kind in Nigeria and superintended two inductions into the Hall of Fame.
A stalwart at the national SWAN level and a beneficiary of numerous professional travels and education at home and abroad, Clinton Thompson remains till today, an active participant in and resource person to various journalistic bodies.
This has indeed made him a well-known and valuable professional.
In a clime where the challenges of survival-health education, utilities and security had limited life expectancy to an average of 45 years, attaining the age of 62 deserves celebration. The home boy from Amasoma in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State returned to base to mark the epoch.
Speaking to selected sports journalists in Port Harcourt, Saturday as part of his 62nd birthday, CT reflected on the state of sports writing in Rivers State, his achievements, the near-absence of SWAN-sponsored competitions, the lack of synergy between Rivers SWAN and its patrons and supportive corporate bodies and the death of the SWAN Hall of Fame.
His verdict was a return to the drawing board for SWAN leadership in Rivers State.
Speaking on what he called the falling standard of sports writing CT said:”I read bad grammar in reporting. We don’t know who is a reporter or not. The place of training is not seen anymore”.
To compound matters, he said, many sports writers still dress shabbily to assignments, a trend, which he noted demeans the image of SWAN.
“I was at a sports stakeholders’ conference in Abuja recently and a man who called himself a sportswriter came in, dressed in bathroom slippers and T-Shirt. He was prompt walked out”, CT said.
He challenged sportswriters and media practitioners to take advantage of the satellite campuses of the various tertiary institutions to improve themselves. “While not recommending a dress code, sportswriters should also dress decently”, he said.
According to him, sports reporting is now sophisticated with the number of sports rising from 17 to about 40. “It requires practitioners with requisite knowledge and language to write and inform the sporting audience”, he said.
The veteran sports writer and commentator challenged employers and Rivers SWAN leadership to organize workshops that would equip sportswriters with the technical language to report the various sports.
“Sportswriters must shun what has become known now as Entrepreneurial journalism or cheque book journalism as it is called in some developed countries, practice sports writing as a calling and with interest,” CT admonished. On the Agenda-setting role of sports journalists, the former National Vice Chairman of SWAN said the leadership in Rivers SWAN must put on its thinking cap. “We have no business with politics; we must engage government on matters of the moment. For instance, the National Sports Festival is coming up soon in Calabar.
“What is the plan for Team Rivers, what is the budget, what trials have been lined up for the state’s contingent?”, he queried.
He called on the SWAN leadership to be pro-active in playing its agenda-setting role and not consign SWAN to the role of praise-singers.
Clinton Thompson also identified the absence of synergy between Rivers SWAN and its Patrons and friendly corporate organizations as reasons for the current under-performance of the body in Rivers State. “Where are the Patrons who made things happen during my tenure. Where are Chief O.K Isokariari, Chief Lawrence Ayo, Chief Lawrence Omohuyi Izzi, Mrs Gina Yeseibo, Nze Tony Nwanya, Bob Ihekona and Jimmy Coker among others?”, he queried.
According to Thompson, the patrons and such multinational firms as Shell, Elf, Agip and Chevron among others threw their weight behind his leadership “and that was why I did not go cap in hands begging for money”.
He said that Rivers SWAN is lucky to have the headquarters of all the oil firms in Port Harcourt which is now the hub of the nation’s oil and gas sector. “SWAN should explore available opportunities to fund its various programmes”.
The former Radio Bayelsa General Manager also advised Rivers SWAN leadership to explore the possibility of writing the biography of sports stars in Rivers State as a revenue-generation project.
He recalled that during his tenure at the national SWAN, the leadership published a book “Football : Goals for the Future” to raise money for its activities.
Answering a question, the veteran sports writer and administrator expressed sadness over the death of various programmes he initiated in Rivers SWAN during his tenure.
“Where is the Omosule Cup Competition for media men, where is the SWAN Annual Award, Where is the Welfare Package and the Hall of Fame Project?”
He said it was imperative for the leadership to re-unite SWAN as a family in the state.
CT also spoke of the need for the present and future leaders of SWAN in Rivers State to preserve the history of both the national and Rivers SWAN, honour past leaders and carry them along to protect and project SWAN’s rich and noble tradition.
“How many sportswriters can tell the history of Rivers SWAN and its founding fathers which include Fidelis Iyebote, Victor Inengisa Somiarii, Clinton Thompson and Donald Mike-Jaja?” he queried.
These men should be remembered and honoured for their distinguished contributions to the growth of sports and sports writing in the state and nation, he said.
Now a media consultant, CT at 62 said he is retired but not tired. He expressed gratitude to the patrons and multinational firms, whom he said, gave him wonderful support during his period at the helm of affairs in Rivers SWAN. “Rivers State is a sweet place to live and I do not regret my stay here”, he concluded.
Mr Clinton Thompson
Donald Mike-Jaja
Liverpool’s season of abject misery worsened as they were beaten with embarrassing ease by a hugely impressive Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s Premier League champions were looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Manchester City, but instead ran into a Forest side revitalised under new manager Sean Dyche and looking back to their best.
Liverpool head coach Slot gave £125m British record signing Alexander Isak a start, but he was totally anonymous once more and only lasted 67 minutes.
Forest went ahead after 33 minutes when defender Murillo shot powerfully past fit-again Liverpool keeper Alisson to subdue an already anxious Anfield.
Igor Jesus had a second ruled out for handball, but Forest doubled their advantage 39 seconds after the break when former Liverpool defender Neco Williams set up Nicola Savona for a crisp finish in front of The Kop.
Liverpool could barely raise a response in a desperate display, Forest increasing their lead 12 minutes from time when Morgan Gibbs-White scored after Alisson saved from Omari Hutchinson.
It means Liverpool, who lie 11th before Saturday’s late fixture, have now lost six of their past seven Premier League games as Slot’s near £450m summer spending spree comes under further scrutiny.
Forest, meanwhile, are surging away from the relegation zone and are up to 16th.
Michael Olise scored twice and provided a hat-trick of assists as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from two goals down to thrash Freiburg.
The visitors stunned the defending champions by taking a 2-0 lead after just 17 minutes when Yuito Suzuki scored from close range and Johan Manzambi rose highest to head home Jan-Niklas Beste’s corner.
Bayern, who had not lost in the league since March, responded superbly and had restored parity by half-time.
Teenager Lennart Karl fired into the bottom corner from Olise’s pass in the 22nd minute and set up the Frenchman for a fierce finish in first-half injury-time, although Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu should have done better.
Bayern took control in the second period as Dayot Upamecano headed home Olise’s corner to put them ahead for the first time.
England captain Harry Kane netted his 14th league goal of the campaign on the hour mark, before Olise made it three assists when he threaded a pass through for Nicolas Jackson to finish at the first time of asking in the 78th minute.
Winger Olise completed a sensational afternoon with his second of the game six minutes later, driving at the Freiburg defence and curling into the far corner.
A 10th victory in the first 11 games left Bayern eight points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, while Freiburg remain 10th in the standings.
Vincent Kompany’s side visit Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday with both sides having a perfect record of four wins so far in the league phase of the competition.
AS FAR Morocco Win African Women’s Champions League (8)
AS FAR held firm to beat debutants ASEC Mimosas 2-1 in the African Women’s Champions League final and become continental champions for the second time.
Hanane Ait El Haj put the Moroccan club ahead from the penalty spot in the 13th minute after Safa Banouk had been tripped by Aboa Yapo.
ASEC Mimosas rallied after the break and Ami Priscal Diallo netted a fine header from Sopie Brou’s cross to drag the Ivory Coast club level 10 minutes into the second half.
But AS FAR were handed a second spot-kick in the closing stages when Noura Diarra committed a rash challenge on Sofia Bouftini.
This time it was Zineb Redouani who stepped up to stroke home in the 85th minute and restore her side’s lead.
Asastasie Gbehi came close to forcing extra time but she poked wide of the post in stoppage time, and the centre-back was sent off after the full-time whistle for dissent.
AS FAR move level with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns as two-time winners of the title, having first lifted the trophy in 2022.
The Rabat-based side will now take on Chinese’s Wuhan Jiangda on 14 December for a place at next year’s Fifa Women’s Champions Cup.
The winner of that match will face European champions Arsenal in the semi-finals of the inaugural competition early next year in London.
Barcelona moved to the top of La Liga on Saturday with an emphatic win over 10-man Athletic Club in their first match at the Spotify Camp Nou since May 2023.
Robert Lewandowski scored their first goal back in their iconic home, which had been closed for extensive renovations, in the fourth minute.
Ferran Torres then netted twice in the second half, each assisted by wonderful skill from Lamine Yamal, who was aged just 15 in his only previous Nou Camp appearance.
Fermin Lopez also struck in the 48th minute, while visiting midfielder Oihan Sancet was sent off for a crude challenge on Lopez just six minutes later.
Large sections of the Nou Camp remained closed for the game, which was played in front of a 45,157 crowd.
The rebuilding work, which was originally scheduled to be finished in November 2024, will eventually increase the stadium’s capacity to 105,000.
Barca moved to 31 points from 13 games and top on goal difference, but Real Madrid had the chance to replace them, if they won at Elche in their game in hand, late last night.
Poland striker Lewandowski got his side off to the perfect start when he drove his low shot in off the arm of Athletic Club goalkeeper Unai Simon for an eighth league goal of the season.
The home side extended their lead in first-half added time as Yamal’s superb pass off the outside of his foot set up Torres for a good finish.
Lopez made it 3-0 three minutes after the restart, drilling a shot past Simon from near the penalty spot.
Sancet’s tackle from behind on Lopez was initially deemed a yellow card, but upgraded to red after the referee consulted with the video assistant referee (VAR).
And just before full-time, Yamal twisted and turned before sending Torres away to claim his second goal, which was originally disallowed for offside but overturned following a VAR check.
It was a dream return to their ground, with the reigning Spanish champions having mostly played at the 55,000 capacity Olympic Stadium on the city’s Montjuic hill since renovations on the Nou Camp began in June 2023.
They were forced to play two matches at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium, home to their women’s team, this season after failing to get a permit for the Nou Camp through safety reasons.
Pogba Returns To Action In Ligue 1 (6)
Paul Pogba played his first minutes of professional football in more than two years as he came off the bench during Monaco’s 4-1 defeat by Rennes at the weekend.
The 32-year-old was introduced in the 85th minute at Rennes’ Roazhon Park, though his side were already four goals and a player down, following a red card for captain Denis Zakaria.
French World Cup winner Pogba broke down in tears when he joined Ligue 1 club Monaco last summer, after his four-year doping ban was reduced to 19 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).
Pogba’s last competitive appearance was 811 days ago, when he featured for Juventus in a Serie A match against Empoli on 3 September 2023. He left Juventus by mutual consent in November 2024.
Pogba was provisionally banned from football for four years after a positive test for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in February 2024, following a doping test in August 2023.
Pogba maintained it was a mistake and that he was given a supplement without knowing it contained a banned substance.
The former Manchester United midfielder was permitted to return to football in March following the decision to reduce his ban.
Pogba watched from the bench as goals from Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Mahdi Camara, Breel Embolo and Ludovic Blas put Rennes out of sight.
Fellow substitute Mika Biereth pulled a goal back for Monaco in the 95th minute, but a second consecutive 4-1 defeat means Sebastien Pocognoli’s side drop to eighth in the table with 20 points after 13 games.
