Sports
D’Tigers Tipped To Pick 2024 Olympics Ticket
With the competition starting today and with the Top ten players to watch list having been issued, along with a preview of both groups, you can now check out our countdown prediction from eight to the coveted number one spot.
It’s often hard to evaluate Uganda’s real potential and predict where they can end up at major continental competitions, mainly because of the team’s inconsistency. At times Uganda look capable of competing against heavyweight teams on the continent just as much as they can struggle against some of the lower ranked teams.
If Uganda bring the likes of Arthur Kaluma, Adam Seiko, Ishmail Wainright and Den John Geu to Lagos, then this ranking position will feel wholly inaccurate. But without too much disrespect, if they show up with a similar squad to the one that went 0-3 in the last window of the 2023 World Cup African Qualifiers, it’s hard to rank the Silverbacks any higher than this.
Having Alpha Diallo, Alpha Kaba and rising star Mambourou Mara on the squad as confirmed by head coach Zeljko Zecevic, is great news for Guinea, Plus, adding Shannon Evans is everything they could have asked for. However, Zecevic’s team will need a productive bench, which is often their Achilles heel.
Group B isn’t necessarily an uncharted territory for Guinea mainly because of their history with Tunisia. Ever since Guinea returned to the African Championship in 2017, after three decades away from FIBA Africa’s flagship event, they’ve lost four times to Tunisia. But, times are different now. Reigning champions Tunisia have experience some decline, while Guinea have grown in confidence.
Congo DR is another team that desperately needs to implement a consistent program to capitalize from the immense pool of talented players at their potential disposal.
For instance, during the second and third qualifying windows of the 2023 World Cup African Qualifiers, the Congolese defeated powerhouse Senegal twice in Dakar and Alexandria. But they crashed out in the next window in Alexandria where they showed up with a new coaching staff and also missing key players, despite the addition of Golden State Warriors rising star Jonathan Kuminga.However, if the Congolese can utilize half of the team that finished fourth at the 2023 FIBA AfroCAN last month, they can do wonders in Lagos, but if they select a brand new team things might be hard for DR Congo.
It remains to be seen what Mali have to offer after pulling out of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers. Obviously Mali did poorly in the FIBA AfroCan last month, but the team’s talent and potential is never in question.
And if they make the necessary adjustments and learned from that FIBA AfroCAN experience, where they finished winless and last in the 12-team event, they will be safe in Lagos and might just cause some mayhem.
Cameroon are headed to Lagos with a relatively new team compared to the one that finished 0-3 at FIBA AfroCAN in Luanda. And the return of former Cameroonian international Alfred Aboya at the helm of the indomitable Lions might just bring a new playing style.
Under Aboya, Cameroon went 3-3 in the last two windows of the 2023 World Cup African Qualifiers. If Cameroon can beat Tunisia in Group B it’s be a game-changing moment for a team that has shown so much potential over the years, but is yet to become a Top Five nation in Africa.
The return of Mario Palma at the helm of Tunisia after the abrupt departure for Erman Kunter represents a major boost for the reigning African champions. And, they desperately need to return to their glory days after missing out on the qualification to this year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Angolan-Portuguese Palma and Tunisia had parted ways after the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Whether or not Palma, the most successful coach in African basketball with five AfroBasket titles, can revive Tunisia’s Olympics hope will be seen over time. But this Tunisia team is very likely to look different in Lagos.
One of Senegal’s most coveted aspirations is the Olympics. The only African heavyweight that hasn’t appeared in the Olympics in the last four decades, Senegal look at the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Lagos as an opportunity to re-write history.
There’s no question that Senegal will be challenged in the Nigerian capital, but if they can overcome hosts Nigeria in Group A, and this is not an improbable dream, the Lions will roar towards the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament next year.
In the build-up to the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament Nigeria can’t contemplate any other result on home soil, and that’s what makes them the number one team in this Power Ranking.
But can they be challenged? Absolutely. Can they live up to expectations? Well, quite simply, they have to. Do they have the team and coaching staff to successfully protect their home court? Yes, D’Tigers have a decent team, but the game against Senegal on Monday, August 14 will tell us more about this team’s actual identity and reality.
Sports
Former Champion Seeks Title Defence At Para Table Tennis Tourney
The 2006 Commonwealth Games silver medallist spoke to Tidesports source her desire to defend her para singles title in the women’s category and to also secure a qualification berth for both the regional West Africa para table tennis event in Abeokuta in September and the continental championship billed to hold in Cairo, Egypt in November.
The multiple Paralympian said, “My expectation is to come out great at this wonderful tournament and to qualify for the forthcoming tournament that is coming up in Nigeria and Egypt in September and November. Last tournament, I won the singles. I won three golds at the last ValueJet tournament. And I want to believe and hope that I will maintain my position by coming in first position.”
Ugwueke had featured in the para event at the 56th Molade Okoya-Thomas National Table Tennis Championships, held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in January, where she suffered a stunning defeat to eventual finalist and tournament runner-up Taiye Oyinloye, who in turn was beaten 3-1 (11-3, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9) by Commonwealth Games medallist, Kate Oputa, to become the women’s class 1-5 champion.
The ValueJet Lagos Para table tennis Open, which is in its seventh edition, is an event sanctioned by the governing body ITTF Africa and put together by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation in partnership with Lagos State Sports Commission.
The event will come to a close on July 11, with the competition serving as qualifiers for the country’s players for the regional tournament in Abeokuta.
A total of 98 athletes—57 men and 41 women—from Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Togo are competing in the singles events.
Notable performances have come from Alabi, Agunbiade, Ogunkunle, and Commonwealth Games medallists Kate Oputa and Faith Obazuaye, who have showcased their class against emerging talents across various classifications.
Their presence has intensified the battle for podium finishes, with top seeds asserting dominance in their respective singles events.
Sports
Nigerian Athletes Serving Doping Bans
The AIU announced in the June 2025 sanctions list on July 1 that 21-year-old quarter-miler Uko was found guilty of an anti-doping rule violation committed on June 5 2024. Her infraction falls under whereabouts failures, having missed three tests within a 12-month period.
The AIU confirmed that her period of ineligibility will run until 23 July 2026 and all results recorded from the date of the infraction have been officially disqualified.
Uko rose to fame after clinching three gold medals at the 2021 World U-20 Championships in Nairobi, winning the women’s 400 metres, 4x400m relay, and the mixed 4x400m relay.
Stephen Eloji (June 2028)
Sprinter and hurdler Stephen Eloji tested positive for dehydrochloromethyl-
The 25-year-old was active in the American collegiate circuit, recording strong performances in the 110m hurdles and relay events as recently as April 2024, including at the Pepsi Florida Relays and Music City Challenge.
Ada Princess Bright (September 2027)
Ada Princess Bright is serving a four-year ineligibility period after testing positive for Metenolone during the National Athletics Trials held on July 6 2023 in Benin City.
She had an active season prior to her suspension, competing in national meets in Lagos, Uyo, and Benin, and earning a relay gold at the African U20 Championships in Ndola, Zambia.
Grace Nwokocha (August 2025)
Nwokocha is serving a three-year ban after testing positive for SARMS substances including Ostarine and Ligandrol during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The fallout was significant, as Nigeria was stripped of its women’s 4x100m relay gold medal at the Games. Prior to her suspension, she had qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, posted a personal best of 11.00s in the 100m, and reached the semi-finals in the 100m and 200m at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. She is ineligible to compete until 2 August 2025.
Yinka Ajayi (January 2030)
Ajayi, a 400m specialist and one-time Olympic representative, is currently serving an extended eight-year ban for multiple anti-doping violations.
The first sanction, issued after she tested positive for Metenolone in an out-of-competition test in Iowa, USA, led to a four-year ban starting in December 2021. However, further findings of tampering led to an additional four-year penalty in 2024, extending her suspension until January 25 2030.
Glory Okon (January 2026)
Glory Okon is serving a four-year ban for testing positive for Metenolone following an out-of-competition test conducted on December 2 2021 in Nigeria.
She previously won gold in the 400 metres at the 2019 African U-20 Championships in Abidjan and featured prominently at the 2021 National Sports Festival in Benin City.
Blessing Okagbare (July 2031)
Once the face of Nigerian athletics, Okagbare is now serving a 10-year ban following multiple anti-doping rule violations. She tested positive for human growth hormone and EPO in an out-of-competition test in June 2021.
Her suspension came while competing at the Tokyo Olympics and was announced in February 2022. It was later extended by an additional year in June 2022 due to further breaches.
Divine Oduduru (February 2029)
Oduduru’s career was derailed by anti-doping violations linked to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. On October 12 2023, a Disciplinary Tribunal of the AIU imposed a six-year ban on Oduduru after he was found guilty of possessing and attempting to use prohibited substances and methods. The case stemmed from the wider investigation into Eric Lira, the first individual convicted under the US Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, who supplied banned substances to athletes, including Okagbare, ahead of the Tokyo Games.
Oduduru’s ban is effective from February 9, 2023 and will run until February 8, 2029.
Henry Azike (Lifetime ban)
Azike is one of two Nigerian athletes currently serving a lifetime ban after testing positive for Metenolone, an anabolic steroid. His case was classified as a second ADRV, automatically triggering a lifetime suspension from the sport.
Azike last competed in 2011, including at the Doha Amir Cup and Nigerian Championships in Calabar.
Vivian Chukwuemeka (Lifetime ban)
Two-time Olympian and African shot put record holder Vivian Chukwuemeka is serving a lifetime ban for a second doping offence after testing positive for Stanozolol at the 2012 National Championships in Calabar.
The 2002 Commonwealth Games champion and multiple-time African gold medallist had previously served a two-year ban following a 2009 positive test. Her personal best of 18.43m remains the African record in women’s shot put.
Sports
Eagles B Players Admit Pressure For CHAN Qualification

Invited players into the Super Eagles B camp ahead of the rescheduled African Nations Championship tournament are feeling the pressure of selection, three days into their training camp at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State.
The eighth CHAN tournament is taking place in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda between August 2 to 20.
Ahead of the tournament, head coach Eric Chelle had invited an initial 35 players to camp and they began training on Monday with 21 players.
Five more players arrived on Tuesday to take the number to 26 while 28 players trained on Wednesday morning with the rest expected before the end of the week.
Captain of the team through the qualifiers, Junior Nduka, spoke about the intensity of the sessions and the jostle to make the final squad.
“Everybody is under pressure but definitely the coaches want the best among the 35 players,” Nduka said.
River United and former Flying Eagles forward, Aniekeme Okon, also admitted the pressure.
“It puts pressure on us, 35 players being invited, everybody is going to give out their best with an expectation of being selected. So we keep pushing.”
Ikorodu City defender, Leonard Ngenge also said, “Obviously, it puts everyone under pressure even myself. But I just need to do my best to be on the coaches’ radar.”
Nigeria, the 2018 runners-up, are in group D of the 19-team tournament, alongside Cup holders Senegal, Sudan and Congo.
The Super Eagles B will play their first two matches of the competition, against Senegal and Sudan, at the Amman Stadium on the island of Zanzibar, before taking on Congo at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Nigeria has never won the tournament, having finished third at the 2014 edition in South Africa before losing the final against hosts Morocco four years later.
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