Sports
UEFA Wants Sporting Merit To Determine European Qualifiers

UEFA has called on leagues across Europe to complete their seasons where possible, as it presented emergency alternative plans yesterday.
European football’s governing body said that national associations and leagues should “explore all possible options” to finish the domestic competitions which remain unresolved.
However, it stressed there are back-up plans in case circumstances prevent leagues and cups being played to a finish.
UEFA proposed competitions starting “with a different format”, or, where no resumption is possible, for national associations to decide places for next season’s European competitions “on sporting merit”.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic bringing football largely to a standstill, UEFA is wary of preserving the integrity of the professional game across the continent.
That applies to qualification for UEFA’s own Champions League and Europa League.
The Nyon-based organisation, headed by AleksanderCeferin, said that health must be paramount, but its executive committee wants leagues to do all within their remit to bring seasons to a natural conclusion.
UEFA said in a statement: “The ideal scenario, should the pandemic situation permit it, is to have the currently suspended domestic competitions completed enabling football clubs to qualify for UEFA club competitions on sporting merit in their original format.
“Should this outcome not be possible, in particular due to calendar issues, it would be preferable that suspended domestic competitions would restart with a different format in a manner which would still facilitate clubs to qualify on sporting merit.”
It is anticipated that some leagues will attempt to resume their seasons next month, with Germany’s Bundesliga among those pressing to get going.
UEFA accepts some countries may have to abandon their current campaigns due to government orders that would not allow for a resumption in reasonable time, or due to perilous economic scenarios that could endanger leagues or clubs.
Abandonments could lead to scenarios fraught with arguments over resolution, and UEFA has decided against reaching decisions itself on which teams from aborted leagues and cups would enter its 2020-21 competitions.
Instead, it said it will be the responsibility of national associations to nominate clubs for next season’s UEFA club competitions, saying such decisions must be made on the basis of 2019-20 domestic performances.
UEFA said such nominations “should be based on objective, transparent and non-discriminatory principles” and that the selections would be scrutinised to ensure places are fairly allocated.
Sports
CAFCL: Finidi Laud Players Over Impressive Performance
Sports
Umuahia Hosts Africa Para- Badminton Championship
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Sports
FIFA U20: Flying Eagles Narrowly Loss to Norway
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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