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
It’s no retreat, no surrender for Team Nasarawa as a 154-man contingent has landed in Ilorin, Kwara State, for the North Central Zonal Eliminations of the 9th National Youth Games.
The delegation, made up of athletes, coaches, sports secretaries, medical and media crew, security operatives, and top officials, left Lafia on Saturday and touched down in Ilorin with high hopes of conquering their zone.
Team Nasarawa will slug it out in five major sports—football, basketball, handball, volleyball, and hockey—against rivals from Kwara, Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Niger, and the FCT. The qualifiers are held from August 16 to 18, 2025, at the Kwara State Stadium, with the team departing on the 19th.
Director of Sports Organising, Nasarawa State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mallam Ubah Musa, who is leading the delegation, said the team is fired up to make the state proud.
“Our boys and girls are ready. They know what is at stake, and they will give everything to qualify for Asaba. The expectations are high from our governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, and from the good people of Nasarawa State. We won’t disappoint,” Musa assured.
Winners from the zonal eliminations will fly the North Central flag at the National Youth Games proper, scheduled for August 26 to September 6 in Asaba, Delta State. All 36 states and the FCT will compete.
Since its inception in 2013, Team Nasarawa has never missed an edition of the Games, and this year, they say it’s “all or nothing.”
Nigeria has stepped up its push to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games with a high-level meeting in London between officials of the National Sports Commission, the Nigeria Olympic Committee, and the Commonwealth Games Federation.
According to a press statement made available to Sunday PUNCH, the delegation, led by NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko, met CGF executives to discuss Nigeria’s expression of interest, submitted earlier this year, and to review the next stage of the bidding process.
The team also included NSC Director-General Bukola Olapade, NOC President and International Olympic Committee executive member Habu Gumel, NOC Vice-President Solomon Ogba, and Secretary-General Tunde Popola, alongside technical experts and advisors.
Talks in London centred on the country’s objectives for staging the Games, as well as requirements for the final bid.
According to the NSC, issues discussed included the Code of Conduct for candidate cities, communication protocols, timelines, and the expectations of the federation.
The CGF has recently introduced new measures aimed at making the event more sustainable and affordable for hosts. Nigerian officials said the meeting was an opportunity to align the country’s vision with those reforms.
Highlighting the domestic context, the NSC said the delegation presented the reforms underway in Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu, which places hosting major sporting events at the centre of national economic and cultural development.
“The NSC believes hosting the Commonwealth Games will deliver immense value to Nigeria,” the commission said, stressing that the event would contribute to wealth creation “across sports, diplomacy, economy, culture, and social development.”
Nigeria is now expected to prepare its final submission before the August 31 deadline.
Officials said the document would be forwarded subject to presidential approval, with the CGF scheduled to announce its decision before the end of the year.
Nigeria’s D’Tigers will look to seal a perfect group-stage record when they face Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions in their final Group B clash at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket on Sunday in Luanda, The Tidesports source reports.
The game at the Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda tips off at 5:30pm Nigerian time, with victory guaranteeing Nigeria top spot and direct passage to the quarter-finals on August 20 and defeat leaving them vulnerable to dropping into the qualification placement round a day earlier.
The D’Tigers have opened their campaign in style, brushing aside hosts Angola before overpowering reigning champions Tunisia 87-66 on Friday.
Josh Okogie was the star against Tunisia, pouring in 33 points to continue his standout tournament form.
Nigeria and Cameroon have faced off three times in AfroBasket competition since 2009, with the D’Tigers leading the head-to-head 2-1.
Their most recent meeting came in the 2017 quarter-finals, when Nigeria triumphed 106-91.
Cameroon, however, arrive in Luanda with their own ambitions. The Lions have averaged 83 points per game at the tournament so far and lead Nigeria in both rebounds (46 to 42.5) and assists (18 to 15), which underlines their capacity to test the West Africans.
A win would hand Nigeria valuable rest days before the quarter-finals, while also reinforcing their credentials as title contenders in Angola. For Cameroon, toppling the D’Tigers would not only earn first place in Group B but also provide a psychological boost ahead of the knockout stages.
Nigeria forward Devine Eke expressed delight after the team’s latest victory, but maintained that the players are keeping their focus on the bigger prize. He stressed that while the result was important, the ultimate goal is to win the championship.
Eke highlighted how the D’Tigers stuck to instructions and worked as a unit, crediting the collective effort for the team’s strong display. He pointed out that every player embraced their responsibility, which made the difference in securing the win.
“We feel good about the win. The job is not done, but I feel we can win this whole thing. We feel really good. We executed well. We followed our coach’s game plan. Everyone played their role, and if everyone continues to do that, anything is possible,” Eke said.
The 31st edition of AfroBasket, hosted by Angola for the fourth time, runs until August 24. Nigeria last won the competition in 2015, and after a strong start, belief is growing that they can mount another championship run.
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