Sports
Reactions Trail LMC’s Decision Against FC Ifeanyi Uba
Reactions have continued to trail the League Management Company’s decision as they fined FC Ifeanyi Uba N9.1 million and other penalties.
FC Ifeanyi Uba in Kano abandoned their match against Kano Pillars in the opening game of the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL, at the 48th minutes following the cancellation of a goal scored by the Anambra based club.
The Anambra Warrious perceived that it was in appropriate for the centre referee, Folusho Ajayi to cancel the goal scored.
In his reaction, former Chief coach of defunct Sharks FC, of Port Harcourt, Sunny Iseokweinma said he supported the decision of LMC, because that will sanitize NPFL.
According to him, the fime should not be only monetary terms but also attract six points deduction from accumulated points gotten.
“For me the decision of LMC is very much okay, because this will improve our league and serve as deterrent to other clubs”, Isekweinma said.
He further suggested that fines should also include deduction of six points from any club who abandoned their game midway.
“I want to say that referees should be sanctioned if found guilty of poor officiating,characterized with bias. We want our league to improve, he stated.
A frontline sports writer and blogger, in Nigeria, China Achiru also gave a nod to LMC decision.
According to him, LMC played by the rules, adding that the punishment is in line with LMC rules and regulation.
“The punishment is okay by me because they played by the rules guiding LMC” Achiru said.
He explained that the decision taken by the centre referee, Folusho Ajayi, is also in line with law saying that the referee have the discretion to call off the game anytime after 45th minutes of play in each half.
“I know that the referee association has given her vote of confidence, because before they gave her such top flight match to officiate they have satisfied her fit and competent” he stated.
In Awka, an ex-Rangers International player, Arthur Ebunam, said he supported the LMC’s decision, noting that the standard of the game must be upheld in spite of any perceived injustice.
Ebunam, however, said that the referees association must ensure that their members were of high moral standards as they were in position to make or mar the game.
“The LMC is right; FC IfeanyiUbah should not have abandoned the game, granted that referees make mistakes knowingly or unknowingly all over the world.
“You don’t abandon a game that is already in progress because it is not about you, but about the millions who have interest in it across the continent even the world.
“The option was to continue the game and protest afterwards with all the evidence that you have.
“The behaviour was just unprofessional and the referees that have shown not to be above board should be stopped from spoiling the game for us, I think I support the decision of the LMC,” he said.
Another enthusiast, Nnamdi Obi, said the two-way disciplinary action taken by the LMC was good but lamented the enormity of the fine slammed of FC IfeanyiUbah.
Obi wondered what action was taken against SuperSports which suspended broadcast in the peak of the disagreement and denied fans the opportunity of seeing what was going on.
Tonye Orabere
The Nigeria Football Federation has defended the recent quarter-finals draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup, saying it was conducted in line with best global practices.
A member of the NFF Executive Committee Board, George Aluo, stated that criticism over venues for the quarterfinals was unfortunate.
Going by the fixtures released on Saturday by the football body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin, Wikki Tourists will clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja, Akwa United and Kwara United will fight it out in Enugu, just as Area 3, Abuja, will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United. All matches are scheduled for May 3rd for the emergence of semifinalists in a leg affair.
However, there have been criticisms over the Ikorodu United vs Wikki Tourist tie billed for Abuja, with a section of the press saying the venue is skewed in favour of the Bauchi team.
Aluo, also the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), said: “Some of our media men need better education, and newsmen should not be like the fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-legged pairing that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home”.
A new contract that will see Act Sports Di Oyibo Limited managing the career of Nigerian teqball specialist, Victor Oyemade, has been signed in Lagos.
The deal gives exclusive rights to Act Sports to manage, and exercise power of attorney over issues relating to the player’s welfare as it concerns his transactions, engagement for professional, promotional, sponsorships, endorsements, and exhibition purposes.
In signing the document, both parties also agreed that proper safeguards would be put in place to protect and promote the player’s interest at all times.
Director of Act Sports, Di Oyibo Limited, Pastor Samuel Robinson Oyibo, excited about the deal, said it would benefit both parties in the area of spreading the message of the sport, as well as laying a firm foundation for his new client’s future.
“Teqball is one of the world’s fastest-growing ball sports, and Victor Oyemade is the face of the sport here in Nigeria and Africa. That is why we are excited about this partnership that gives Act Sports official authorisation to manage his career, just as it will lay the foundation for its rapid growth in our country,” Pastor Oyibo said.
Oyemade was no less excited about the deal, saying it would help his growth in the sport.
Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, which will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, that commenced yesterday to end 24th of this month.
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, for close to two weeks and departed for the competition on Thursday.
Coach John Uzor of the national U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo make the cut, amongst other players.
In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely stuck with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside, her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters.
Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic, keep their places.
Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously at the U-18 level.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology, insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examinations.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release. It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission will work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”.