Sports
Ex-S’Eagles’ Player Banned For Match-Fixing

Former Super Eagles midfielder, Dickson Etuhu has been banned from all football-related activities in Sweden for five years following his involvement in a match-fixing scandal.
The 37-year-old was accused of offering a bribe to his former AIK Stockholm team-mate and reserve goalkeeper Kenny Stamatopoulos to fix a game against Swedish club Gothenburg in May, 2017.
Stamatopoulos was understood to have been offered around £180,000 to under-perform after an injury to the club’s No1 and flagged the approach, meaning the match was postponed.
Etuhu denied the allegations but after a lengthy investigation, he was found guilty in November, 2019.
And the Swedish FA has now reacted to the incident slapping the Nigerian with a five-year ban, but he escaped a prison sentence.
This however, means Etuhu will not be allowed to engage in Football in Sweden until April 13, 2025.
Ex-striker Alban Jusufi, who retired in 2013 has also been banned.
A statement from the Swedish FA read:
“The disciplinary board has decided to suspend two people because they have deliberately tried to persuade a football player to underperform in one of the team’s matches.
“Through their actions, these people have violated the anti-match fixing regulations and they are therefore, suspended for five years.
“The ban includes training, competing or performing any assignments in any sports.”
Etuhu featured for Fulham, Blackburn Rovers, Norwich City, Preston North End amongst others during his 17 years playing career.
The Kano-born ex-midfielder made his debut for Nigeria in 2007 and recorded 33 caps before quitting international football in 2011.
He represented the Eagles at three major tournaments – Ghana 2008 AFCON, Angola 2010 Afcon as well as the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Sports
Nigeria, Zambia Join WAFCON Train
Nine-time Women’s Africa Cup of Nations winners, Nigeria became the final side to book their place at the 2024 tournament as qualifiers culminated this week.
The Super Falcons came from behind to beat Cape Verde 2-1 away from home, with Rasheedat Ajibade’s injury-time winner clinching a 7-1 aggregate victory on Tuesday.
Barbra Banda was among Zambia’s scorers as the Copper Queens, who finished third at last year’s Nations Cup, thrashed Angola 6-0 at home to complete a 12-0 aggregate win.
However, two-time champions Equatorial Guinea will miss out on the 12-team finals following a 2-1 defeat away against DR Congo which saw the hosts progress 3-2 overall.
Botswana beat Kenya 1-0 to secure qualification for their second consecutive finals. while Ghana, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Tunisia all sealed their places in Morocco, who will host for the second time in a row.
The dates for the tournament, scheduled for next year, are yet to be announced.
Holders South Africa and Algeria secured their spots on Monday, with Banyana Banyana beating Burkina Faso 3-1 on aggregate and the North Africans sealing a 1-0 win in Burundi to progress 6-1 over the two legs.
Ghana will return to the finals for the first time since 2018 despite losing 1-0 away against Namibia, with the Black Queens going through 3-2 on aggregate.
Senegal, Tanzania and Tunisia also failed to win their away ties, but progressed against Egypt, Togo and Congo respectively.
Mali won 3-0 away against Guinea to round off a 10-2 victory overall.
Sports
Olowu Targets WABU Crown At GOtv Boxing Night 30
Super welterweight boxer, Taiwo ‘Gentle Boy’ Olowu, on Wednesday , said his target is to claim the West African Boxing Union (WABU) super welterweight title at GOtv Boxing Night 30 on December 26.
The enterprising boxer, who is the national welterweight title holder, will square up to top Ghanaian boxer, Michael Ansah, at the event slated for the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.
Speaking ahead of the fight, ‘Gentle Boy’ boasted that he would ensure the Ghanaian returned to his country empty-handed.
“I aim to add this West African Boxing Union title to my national title. As a national champion, I cannot allow a foreigner to come and take this belt away in front of my fans. This is a big opportunity for me to be a WABU champion. Ansah will leave Nigeria empty-handed,” he said.
The more experienced Ghanaian boxer has a record of 23 wins, 12 defeats, and three draws from 38 professional fights, while ‘Gentle Boy’ boasts 15 wins and one defeat from his 16 professional fights.
In another title fight, Sifon ‘Best’ Iwatt will battle Saheed Azeez for the national super flyweight title.
Also on the card for the night are five other national fights, including a female national cruiserweight challenge fight between national champion, Bolatito ‘Black Tito’ Oluwole and Blessing Abisoye.
Arabambi Ojo and Ibrahim ‘Golden Boy’ Opeyemi will slug it out in a national bantamweight challenge bout; Abdulafeez ‘Big Name’ Osoba will face Christopher Ucheji in a national super welterweight challenge fight, while Ayanfe Adeoye and Ahmed Ganiyu will duel in a national light welterweight category.
Sports
Nigeria Makes Final Team Of The Year Award
Nigeria made the final three shortlists for the 2023 Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Women’s National Team of the Year award.
CAF announced the final three shortlist on their X handle yesterday.
The other two countries are reigning Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions South Africa and Morocco.
Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa featured at this year’s FIFA women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The trio all reached the round of 16 at the tournament, which was won by Spain.
The winner will be announced on Monday, December 11, in Marrakech, Morocco.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Super Falcons recently qualified for the 2024 WAFCON, hosted by Morocco.
A 7-1 aggregate win against Cape Verde ensured the Falcons will be making their 13th appearance at the tournament, which began in 1998 in Nigeria.
-
Politics1 day ago
Rivers PDP Chair Renews Call For Peace, Warns Against Divisive Tendencies
-
News1 day ago
Ogoni Group Mulls Recall Of Lawmakers Over Foiled Fubara’s Impeachment
-
Business1 day ago
FG Earmarks N100bn For Auto-Gas, CNG Buses, EVs
-
Rivers1 day ago
‘Leadership, Beyond Accolades, Awards’ …As 17 Bag Leadership Awards
-
Sports1 day ago
Peseiro Optimistic To Win 2024 AFCON
-
Nation1 day ago
NPA Clears Air On $852.93m , N1.8bn Audit Query
-
News1 day ago
Tinubu Appoints New Governing Board, Mgt Team For NCDMB
-
Politics1 day ago
NYCN Chieftain Harps On Fubara’s Governance Credentials