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Hooligan at Rangers; Match Arrested, Says Wikki GM
BY AYO ADEMOKOYA.
Anwalu Jadda, the General Manager of Wikki Tourists has exonerated his team from the fracas that characterised the ill-fated clash with Enugu Rangers on Sunday.
While admitting the unfortunate incidents, the man recently drafted along with a seven man team to rescue the club said that the culprit who threw the object that hit the referee had been identified and apprehended.
He further pointed out that the culprit will soon be charged to court. He rebutted the stories of match officials brutalized by the home crowd.
In a telephone interview, Jadda said: “It is unfortunate that some people out there are bent on tarnishing the good image of Bauchi people which is a foremost Tourist centre and home of hospitality in the country.
“What really happened was that there was no incidence up till the 44th minutes of play when suddenly an object flew into the pitch and hit the referee.
“That must have been a reaction from one of the fans who among many others are not pleased with the way the referee was handling the game was deliberately killing every attacking moves the home team were making.
“Immediately the incident happened, the referee was treated within three minutes but refused to continue the game and all efforts to persuade her proved abortive.
“We made desperate calls to Abuja and the fourth official was asked to continue and Rangers deliberately held up the game refusing to continue to the chagrin of the home crowd.
“Eventually when the game resumed, Rangers resolved to negative tactics falling and wasting time at every given opportunity till the match ended.
“We then advised the match officials to take the narrow tunnels which leads to the police station but he refused to follow even the match commissioner.
“We later saw him rushing back to the path we earlier told them to take. And we saw blood gushing out of his head apparently from an object thrown from the crowd.
“We had to shave that part of his head for adequate treatment and the next day we drove them to the park back to Abuja.
“My question is if it was a serious injury would they have gone the next day?
The boy who caused all this, by name Mohammed Issa from Wunti has been arrested and everything back to normal so I wonder where this people got information that the situation was more brutal than what happened.
“I just want to use this opportunity to appeal to our fans and football fans across the globe to please stop fanning the embers of hatred and allow the truth to prevail.
“This administration is on course to put Wikki back to path of glory and nothing would deter us,” he concluded
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Manu Garba proud of Eaglets as team countenances Niger Republic
Coach Manu Garba has asserted that he is proud of the Golden Eaglets after Thursday’s scoreless encounter with their Burkina Faso counterparts in the Group B opener of the WAFU B U17 Championship.
Five-time champions Nigeria created several scoring chances particularly late in the game at the Accra University Stadium, but failed to utilise even one that could have earned them the three points and handed them early leadership of the pool.
However, Garba said the boys played a cohesive game in their first-ever international outing and deserve credit for their display.
“We are proud of our team’s performance. Although we didn’t secure the win that we hoped for, our players showed great teamwork and sportsmanship. We look forward to our next match and the opportunity to continue growing and improving.
“The boys will get better with experience and exposure.”
Against the Burkinabes, the Eaglets showed flair and fluency, but a heavy downpour in the final 15 minutes of the game disrupted the general flow of play, with the pitch waterlogged and effective control and passing impossible.
The Golden Eaglets go up against their counterparts from the Niger Republic on Sunday evening (6pm Ghana time; 7pm Nigeria) with renewed hope and vigour to pick up the three points that will enhance their chances of a place in the last four.
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Paris to face major disruption ahead of Games opening ceremony, says police chief
Paris will face major disruption ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony along the Seine on July 26, as organisers ramp up security measures to safeguard the event, the city’s police chief said on Thursday.
Organisers hope the opening ceremony, in which 160 boats carrying athletes from around the world will travel a 6 kilometre route along the Seine river towards the Eiffel tower, will deliver a jaw-dropping spectacle. Some 300,000 spectators will watch from the banks of the Seine as a global audience tunes in on TV.
But the ceremony is also a major security headache, taking place against a backdrop of wars in Ukraine and Gaza. French President Emmanuel Macron has already floated the possibility of scrapping the river ceremony and reverting to at least two back-up plans if the security risks become untenable.
Paris residents with a view of the Seine can invite friends to watch the opening of the 2024 Summer Games from their balconies, but should prepare for heavy traffic and limited movement, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said at a press conference.
Adjacent metro stations, most river crossings and all water traffic will be halted in the week before the open-air ceremony, Nunez said, adding that some bridges will remain open “in order not to cut Paris in two halves.”
Everyone who wants to access the immediate surroundings of the Seine in the week before the Games will need to sign up on an online platform, Nunez said. Local residents hoping to access their homes, which are among the most prestigious addresses in France, will need to do the same.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, who also spoke at the event said the disruption would impact around 20,000 residents and business owners.
Asked about Macron’s comments earlier this month, Nunez said his teams were still working on the ‘Plan A’ of the river ceremony.
“As of today, we have no reason to be worried,” Nunez said.
-Reuters
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New dawn expected as Nigeria sports ministry partners with Yanga Games
Towards creating a new dawn for Nigerian Sports, the Federal Ministry of Sports has signed a landmark agreement with top lottery company Yanga Games to raise the revenue profile of the Ministry and ensure a new deal for the welfare of athletes.
Speaking during the unveiling of the partnership between the Ministry and Yanga Games in Lagos on Friday, Chairman/CEO of Yanga Games Derrick David Kentebe said: “we are so super excited by this opportunity to work with the Ministry of Sports Development to change the narrative about Sports in the country.
Continuing, he remarked: “We see opportunity for marketing our athletes and sports generally . We shall avail ourselves the best use of this unique and special partnership. We shall pursue this mandate with vigour, passion and unrivaled commitment to bring benefits to all the critical stakeholders.”
The agreement according to Kentebe will provide support for retired athletes, enhance grassroot sports Development and advance the potentials of special athletes.
He assured that ” Yanga Games has the capacity to raise funds on behalf of the Ministry of Sports for athletes Development, endorsement and sponsorship deals for athletes”.
Minister of Sports Senator John Owan Enoh assured that the Ministry has total and absolute confidence in Yanga Games to deliver on the given mandate.
“Gone are the era when we depended solely on government to fund sports development. We are partnering with Yanga Games to bring maximum benefits to the athletes and all critical stakeholders.
“We shall give institutional encouragement and support to the Management of Yanga Games to succeed in this onerous task of rebuilding our sports sub sector.”
Speaking further, Kentebe said ” We shall raise about 34 Billion in the next four years to assist athletes and improve sports in the country.
“We shall help to develop grassroot sports and sustain youth involvement through raffle draws, fund raiser and other avenues.
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