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Wike: Relaunching Rivers Potentials In Sports

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Barely 100 days in of
fice as governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, has made giant strides in sports sector which clearly set his administration out as one truly committed to the development and promotion of the sector.
Indeed the administration is relaunching the state to the frontline of comity of leading sports friendly states and destination of choice for sporting events and competitions.
Even before he was sworn in as the Executive Governor, Chief Wike demonstrated his interest in sports by making football one of the activities that marked his pre-inauguration ceremonies.
That day, Chief Wike led a number of football stars, both ex-and current internationals to entertain the people with a display of exhilarating football at the Sharks FC Stadium in Port Harcourt. That was an indication and a promise that sports would not take back seat in the nascent administration.
In fact, during his early speeches, the Governor underlined grassroots sports development, especially, going back to schools sports, reviving and promoting competitions at the grassroots level as a key policy towards engaging and empowering the youths.
About 100 days on, Rivers State, particularly Port Harcourt has become central and focus of sports discuss, especially football in Nigeria.
In demonstration of his conviction that athletes deserve motivation and remuneration, players of Rivers State clubs, Sharks, Dolphins and Rivers Angels FCs, who were hitherto owed eight months backlog of  salaries were the first to smile as the governor effected their payment.
At a time the Nigeria football Federation, NFF was in a quandary concerning a venue to host the Nigeria’s under 23 football teams qualifying match for the pre-Rio 2016 Olympic Games and states under the yoke of financial crisis were avoiding such burden, Governor Wike stepped into rescue the federation.
He, not only presented the state as a host, his motivation played pivotal roles in ensuring victory and paving way for the team’s qualification for the African Olympic qualifying tournament.
Since then, Port Harcourt has become a home for National teams as Super Eagles’ matchless and other national teams have been billed for the imposing Adokiye Amiesimaka stadium, at least Super Eagles next three matches beginning with their international friendly with Niger Republic tomorrow will be played at the stadium.
Only yesterday, the state, for the first time in history hosted a competitive grade A international match between two countries when Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast clashed in a 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifier in Port Harcourt. The state had offered to assist the NFF bail out Sierra Leone who could not host international matches at homes.
These plethora of international matches have gone a long way to re-establish and proof that peace and safety have returned to Rivers State which have further boosted tourism and investment opportunities in the state.
Governor Wike in further demonstration of his wholesome positive disposition towards the sports sector has extended hand of fellowship to the sports writing family in Nigeria who he assured of partnering for effective sports development in the state and Nigeria.
Rivers State a couple of weeks ago hosted the National Full Council Meeting, the highest decision making body of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, which has been adjudged to be the best of its kind in the association history.
Assessing the performance of the Governor in a little over three months now, chairman of Rivers State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, Mr Honour Sirawoo scored him a nine on scale of 10. According to him, “The Governor has done well for the sports sector. He started well by offsetting the debt owed the state clubs for over eight months. His willingness to host international matches at a time other states are running away is an indication that sports is dear to him. We hope he continues to remain in the path of sports development and give the state the fillip to rediscover their elements and once again play leading role in sporting events and competitions in Nigeria.
For the Director of sports in Rivers State, Sir Daobu Harry, the Sports Council is hopeful that things can only get better as they pray that the Governor does not deviate from the commitment to sports which he has shown so early in his administration.
According to the Director, “The Governor has done well. It takes a big heart and courage to do what he has done so far in prevailing circumstances. The sports sector has gotten new lease of life since his coming into office. Apart from relaunching the state to international spotlight, sports association in the state have begun to attend national competitions, we hope that it continues to get better.”

Governor Nyesom Wike (middle), with Sole Administrator, RIWAMA, Bro Felix Obuah (right) and NFF officials, during the match between Nigeria and Congo in Port Harcourt  				                 Photo: Nwiueh Donatus Ken

Governor Nyesom Wike (middle), with Sole Administrator, RIWAMA, Bro Felix Obuah (right) and NFF officials, during the match between Nigeria and Congo in Port Harcourt Photo: Nwiueh Donatus Ken

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Gyokeres Situation, Transfer Under Cloud At Sporting

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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.’”

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Concacaf Opposes 64-Team W’Cup Plans

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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.”

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Brazil Edge Paraguay, Book W’Cup Spot

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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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