Governing Bodies
WINNERS EMERGE AS SJF HOLDS SECOND ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY
Nigeria’s foremost virtual sports community, Sports Journalist Forum, held its second annual awards ceremony on Sunday, 20 December as part of its year-end activities to recognise the professional and social contributions of members within and outside Nigeria.
The WhatsApp-based community of leading sports journalists converged virtually to select deserving winners in eight different categories through an open ballot election system that was marked by friendly banter and good-natured competition.
Leading the way was ace journalist Bode Oguntuyi who was overwhelmingly selected by his peers to become the second-ever inductee to the SJF Hall of Fame.
Mr Oguntuyi, a sports writer par excellence with vast experience across print, radio, TV and online media internationally and locally, was recognised for his decades-long service to the industry and for years of exemplary and award-winning output.
Mr. Oguntuyi who is a director at Sports Media Vision, a sports media and marketing firm, joins pioneer inductee and former Super Eagles media officer and ESPN columnist Colin Udoh in the SJF Hall of Fame.
Mr Udoh, meanwhile, retained the award for SJF Most Resourceful Member, a recognition of his constant drive to help colleagues improve and grow their craft.
Even as the SJF community extolled the virtues of its veterans, it also recognised the contributions of its younger members with a pair of Nigeria’s brightest young journalists, football expert Tobi Adepoju and LASU radio OAP Funmi Adeyemo emerging SJF Member of the Year in the male and female categories.
Mr Adepoju, a freelance journalist, leads a vanguard of Nigeria’s young generation of football reporters, while Ms Adeyemo combines her sporting expertise on radio with a mastery of the turntables as a Disc Jockey in her other life.
Port Harcourt big boy China “The Pope” Acheru was voted SJF Most Active/Peacemaker of the Year, his peers determining that a heart of gold lies behind his stern exterior and fearsome beard.
An unrivalled storyteller, Mr Acheru is a published author with his memoirs of Nigerian football, A Thousand Times On The Same Road, currently available at leading bookstores nationwide. He is currently Head of Programmes at Wish FM Port Harcourt and formerly led the NPFL Media Officers Association and the League Bloggers Association.
Ms Sarafina Napoleon, a co-host of the early morning show on Wazobia FM and sports anchor on Nigeria Info and Cool FM was returned as the queen of SJF Afterdark – a segment that runs from 10pm and where only the bravest souls tread.
Despite a surprisingly strong showing by legit.ng’s Shittu Ibitoye who this year revealed a previously hidden love for matters of the flesh, Ms Napoleon’s unparalleled mastery of the risqué and raunchy saw her retain her crown.
There was mild drama and plenty hilarity as a closely fought contest in the SJF Reporter of the Year category ended in a tie on technical grounds between last year’s recipient Kingsley Oyero and busybuddiesng.com editor Azu Umeh.
An unprecedented rerun saw Mr Umeh eventually emerge winner with Mr Oyero lauded by the entire house for his gentlemanly conduct in accepting the outcome, the absence of bitterness underlining the shared bond and genuine spirit of fraternity between members.
Awardees will be presented with N2000 recharge cards of a network of their choice, a customised NPFL jersey and a certificate.
Commenting on this year’s SJF Awards, Convener Godwin Enakhena who was voted Admin of the Year said the voting process and conduct of members holds a great lesson for Nigeria’s politicians.
While congratulating the winners, Mr Enakhena reserved special praise for Mr Oyero whose conduct he said, embodies the essence of the Sports Journalists Forum.
“I want to thank everyone who participated/voted in this year’s edition of SJF Awards. You all made it a huge success,” Mr Enakhena said.
“SJF might be a small WhatsApp group but what happened during and after the elections proved that we’ve a lot of noble men and women on the platform, as we agreed to disagree. It wasn’t a matter of life and death unlike what happens in partisan politics in our nation.
“We didn’t turn the platform upside down, and this shows maturity and a lesson for our politicians,” he added.
“While we congratulate all the winners, I want to salute Kingsley Oyero most especially for the candor and sportsmanship he displayed when the call for a rerun was decided and for accepting the outcome of the rerun and even congratulating the eventual winner. You earned alot of people’s respect because of this, Koyero.”
The 2020 SJF Awards was the first in a series of year-end events that will culminate in an end of year party on 30 December, 2020 at LASCOFIS, Ikeja, with all Covid-19 protocols strictly adhered to.
Full list of winners at 2020 SJF Awards
1) SJF Member of the Year (Male) – Tobi Adepoju
2) SJF Member of the Year (Female) – Funmi Adeyemo
3) SJF Admin of the Year – Godwin Enakhena
4) SJF Reporter of the Year – Azu Umeh
5) SJF Afterdark Member of the Year – Sarafina Napoleon
6) SJF Hall of Fame Award – Bode Oguntuyi
7) SJF Most Resourceful Member – Colin Udoh
8) SJF Most Active/Peacemaker – China Acheru
The FIFA Museum in Zurich has launched a new special exhibition titled Innovation in Action: Football Technologies on and off the Pitch, offering visitors an unprecedented glimpse into how innovation is transforming the world’s most popular sport.
Opened on Monday, October 1, 2025, the immersive showcase was developed in collaboration with the FIFA Innovation Team and other departments within world football’s governing body. It explores how cutting-edge technology supports players, referees, and fans—enhancing performance, ensuring fairness, and enriching the overall football experience—while preserving the game’s passion and human spirit.
“What makes this exhibition truly special is that we can give visitors a never-before-seen behind-the-scenes look that allows them to step inside football innovation, experiencing it hands-on rather than just reading about it,” said Marco Fazzone, Managing Director of the FIFA Museum. “We offer a glimpse at technologies and tools that fans don’t normally get to experience up close, while also showing how innovation has evolved over almost 100 years of FIFA World Cup history.”
Organised around five themed sections — Broadcasting & Media, Intelligent Data, Refereeing & Fair Play, Staging the Game, and the Innovation Lab — the exhibition blends rare artefacts with interactive displays. Visitors can relive football’s broadcast evolution, from the black-and-white footage of the 1954 World Cup to today’s ultra-slow motion 4K replays, and even step into a virtual referee booth to experience the pressures of officiating in real time.
Among the standout features is the FIFA Player App, which allows fans to explore Chelsea star Cole Palmer’s performance statistics from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final, illustrating how data helps players refine their craft.
Another exhibit showcases Canada goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s water bottle from the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 — marked with opponents’ penalty data — revealing how analytics influence critical moments.
Visitors can also view a referee body camera used at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, giving a fresh perspective on decision-making from the official’s point of view.
The exhibition invites visitors to engage directly with football technology. They can test their reflexes and judgment as referees, operate goal-line technology systems, or assume the role of a broadcast director managing live match feeds. Data enthusiasts can analyse player movements, while aspiring innovators can design their own football tech concepts inside the Innovation Lab.
Innovation in Action runs until 31 March 2026 at the FIFA Museum in Zurich. Entry is included with a standard museum ticket.
With its rich mix of storytelling, interactivity, and history, the exhibition promises to be a must-see experience for anyone passionate about the future of the beautiful game.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that football could not solve conflicts, but it must carry a message of peace and unity as Israel’s military operation in Gaza and other global tensions fuel calls for the sport to take a stand.
“At FIFA, we are committed to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world,” Infantino told a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich where he met Palestinian federation president Jibril Rajoub.
“Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is one of peace and unity.”
Infantino said world football’s governing body could not solve geopolitical crises, but “it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.”
“I met Palestinian Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub today at the Home of FIFA in Zurich to discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East region,” Infantino later wrote on Instagram.
“I commend President Rajoub and the PFA for their resilience at this time and I reiterated to him FIFA’s commitment to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world.”
FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football.
The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has been taken. Infantino has consistently said such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution.
The comments came a day after FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani noted that any decision over Israel’s participation in European competitions, including World Cup qualifiers, was a matter for UEFA to decide, effectively putting the onus on the European body.
“First and foremost, it (Israel) is a member of UEFA, no different than I have to deal with a member of my region for whatever reason… They have to deal with that,” Montagliani told reporters at the Leaders sports business conference on Wednesday.
Israel are third in Europe’s Group I of the qualifying stage for next year’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Amnesty International on Wednesday sent a letter to FIFA and UEFA calling on them to suspend the Israel Football Association.
-Reuters
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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports suggesting that its Statutes will be amended at this year’s Annual General Assembly (AGA), insisting that no such plans are on the table for the September 27 meeting.
In a statement, the Federation stressed that the ongoing conversation around its Statutes remains at a preliminary stage and that suggestions of imminent changes are unfounded.
Ahead of the AGA, the NFF will host a workshop on September 26, bringing together representatives of its members, as well as officials from FIFA and CAF. According to the Federation, the forum is strictly consultative, designed to deliberate on proposals for new Statutes in line with the principles of good governance and international best practices.
The NFF explained that only after consensus is reached with its members will a separate General Assembly be convened to formally consider and adopt any proposed Statute changes.
“The NFF remains committed to due process, transparency, and working hand-in-hand with its General Assembly Members, FIFA, and CAF,” the statement read.
“The ultimate goal is to establish enduring Statutes that will strengthen governance, broaden representation, and promote inclusivity within Nigerian football.”
The Federation added that the long-term reform framework is aimed at ensuring stability and progress across its structures and enhancing the participation of all stakeholders in the country’s football administration.
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