Sports
House Committee Assures NBBS On Funds Release
The Chairman, House of
Representatives’ Committee on Sports, Godfrey Gaiya, has assured the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) that funds appropriated to it in the 2014 budget would be released.
Gaiya gave the assurance at the opening ceremony of the 2015 NBBF Stakeholders and Consultative Forum/Pre-Season Seminar in Abuja.
He said the Committee would ensure that what was allocated to the NBBF was released for it to carry out its programmes.
“During the 2012 Sports Summit, it was agreed that some particular sports be given leverage due to their performances, and one of them was basketball.
“This is in recognition of basketball’s position in the country, and that position must be matched with actions by providing the needed funds and other things.
“I was surprised when I was informed that the budgeted allocation had not been released to the federation.
“But what I was made to understand was that the fourth quarter release of some ministries had not been released. But now, we are sure that this will be given.
“We are going to see to it that what is meant for basketball is given to it,’’ Gaiya said.
Speaking earlier, NBBF President, Tijani Umar, had bemoaned the fact that the federation lacks a befitting office, saying it was affecting morale and slowing down the federation’s partnership management.
Umar called on the National Sports Commission (NSC) to show the federation the plot of land allocated to it by the former Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi.
“When you have a vision and plan to execute it, if you don’t have a befitting office, there is no way you can have the number of staff to execute the vision.
“You cannot bring your partners to meet with you and you cannot convince your sponsors that you are a serious federation worthy of doing business with.
“We have got a commitment from the former minister which is binding. Therefore, all we need is for the NSC to show us the land to build our office.
“Once we show the land to people who want to help us, we are sure of getting money from them to start work on the office project.
“It is all about determination, if we have the land, the Nigerian Basketball House will be built. For example, the Football House is up now and I think the house is befitting,’’ Umar said.
The NBBF president said another challenge hindering the federation’s performance was that of qualitative facilities to raise the standard of the game.
“We need a standard FIBA-approved basketball floor and scoreboard for national and international competitions.
“As a result, our chance of hosting any international tournament has reduced, while the work of bringing our national teams to camp to play and practise at home before our fans is not possible,’’ he said.
Umar said Nigerian basketball stakeholders must provide an enabling environment for investors to key into.
“The regular reference to the private sector to be the driver of growth of our sports sector is very hollow.
“Stakeholders should not abandon their responsibility of creating an enabling environment to attract investors. “When you don’t have a good product to exchange for investment and sponsorship, no one will answer your calls,’’ he said.
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.’”
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.”
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.