ICC Development Programme Awards 2015 To Launch Today

Nominations must be submitted to the ICC by 31 December 2015

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the details of the annual ICC Development Programme Awards for 2015, with the nominations period to open on Thursday, 19 November 2015 at 1200 (Dubai time).

The Awards, which have been running since 2002, form part of the ICC’s commitment to promoting excellence in cricket development in the ICC’s Associate and Affiliate Members. The Awards reward innovation and exceptional service to the game from those growing cricket around the world.

Awards will be presented this year across six categories with one winner per category, with a focus on outstanding individual contributions to the game and to recognise the excellent work of those who are tirelessly committed to developing the sport. Further details and application forms are available here.

All six winners will receive a cricket equipment grant to their national cricket body, with the amounts detailed below. As part of the commitment to promote development, each winning member will be asked to produce a story around the impact that the equipment has provided with support from the ICC. There will be special recognition awarded to outstanding nominations who are not awarded the cricket equipment grants.

Speaking about the ICC Development Programme Awards 2015, ICC Head of Global Development Tim Anderson said: “The ICC is dedicated to the growth of cricket beyond its traditional boundaries. These Awards therefore provide an opportunity to highlight some of the outstanding initiatives taking place, and thank the great people that are making a positive contribution to cricket’s development around the world.

“2015 has seen some groundbreaking progress on the field in many Associate and Affiliate members. The six categories encapsulate the importance of off-field support in achieving this success and we are very excited to be able to showcase these stories,” he said.

Nominations need to be submitted to the ICC by 31 December 2015. The ICC will put the nominations forward for the judging process that will take place during February 2016. The winners will then be announced by the end of February 2016.

The Awards categories and winning grants are as follows:

· Best Overall Cricket Development Programme ($5,000)
· Lifetime Service Award ($2,000)
· Volunteer of the Year ($2,000)
· Best Spirit of Cricket Initiative ($2,000)
· Women’s Cricket ‘Behind the Scenes’ ($2,000)
· Photo of the Year ($2,000)

FEDERATION CUP: AKWA UNITED GET “EXECUTIVE ORDER”

Akwa United football club have been given an executive order by the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom, to do everything possible, to bring the Trophy home, when they face Lobi Stars on Sunday in the Final of the event at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

The Governor did not mince words, as he expressly ordered the players of the club to go to Lagos and beat Lobi Stars in the finals of the 2015 tournament, when he hosted the players to a breakfast meeting on Wednesday at the Government house, Uyo.

“I am coming for the game against Lobi Stars in Lagos. I want you to go and bring back the trophy. The state is waiting patiently for the trophy, Udom said.

“I know you have a good team that can make all of us in Akwa Ibom smile. This is the first time, a club from the state will qualify for the final of the Federation Cup and I want you to make it count this time”

Federations Cup

Meanwhile, Lobi United Captain, Terna Ikpeen has assured that the team will beat Akwa Ibom team when they clash on Sunday.

Ikpeen insists that they have a better team and will emerge Champions of the competition this year.

“We have a good team. We are ready for this match. We have prepared for the game, and we are going to triumph on Sunday. The motivation is there for us and everything is set for us to become champions on Sunday”

WBC Strips Miguel Cotto Of Title Before Bout With Canelo Alvarez

The WBC as Stripped Miguel Cotto of his world title ahead of his bout with Canelo Alvarez according to a statement released by the body on Tuesday “The WBC hereby announces that effective immediately has withdrawn recognition of Miguel Cotto as WBC World Middleweight Champion. If Saul “Canelo” Alvarez wins the fight against Cotto, he will be recognized as the WBC middleweight world champion,”

What this also means is that if Canelo wins he will be mandated to fight Gennady Golovkin , but if he loses to Cotto then Gennady Golovkin will be recognised as the WBC World Champion.

Miguel Cotto, WBC Champion since Since 2013 when he defeated Sergio Martinez believes that the $300,000 sanctioning fee is too much.

Boxer Miguel Cotto training for a fight (2015). © Oliver Petalver / TheDailySportsHerald. Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDer ivs Creative Commons
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Cotto on the other hand also does not appear to be perturbed by the WBC’s Decision to Strip him of his title saying that it was money related and he was not willing meet the demands of the WBC as it concerns “fight fees”, Claiming that the fees were “absurd” The Cotto Vs Canelo Fight comes up on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. USA.

“I don’t need their belt. I have enough belts in my house and with the money I saved, I can buy any belt I want. I can be the champion of whatever I want in my house.” Cotto said.

Woods Picked As Us Vice Captain For Ryder Cup

Ahead of the next Ryder Cup Which starts on the 30th of September 2016 through to October the 2nd 2016 at Chaska, Minnesota, US PGA captain Davis Love III has picked Tiger Woods alongside Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker as vice captains for the US team.

But its Tiger Woods Selection that’s creating all the Buzz, the former world number one who’s recently gone through surgery to correct a problem with his back as made a vow to play a part in helping the US team win the Ryder Cup, a feat that as becom difficult for the Americans in recent times based on the success of the Europeans.

The Europeans have won 8 of the last 10 Ryder Cup’s and Tiger want to contribute his quota not just as a ceremonial vice captain but actively as a player in 2016.

Tiger Woods
photo credit: Keith Allison
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“This is something I want to do, I will continue to do whatever I can to help win the Cup back. Once I’m fully healthy, I’d like to try to make the team, too, but either way, I’m very excited to work with Davis, the other vice captains and the players to get a U.S. victory” He said in a statement.

If He eventually makes the cut, Woods will be competing in his 8th Ryder Cup tournament.

British Boxer Amir Khan In Plans To Take Over Bolton Wanderers

British Boxer Amir Khan is believed to be part of Sports Shield investment group a company that plans to take over Bolton Wanderers FC from current Owner Phil Gartside who is also believed to be ill.

The Team was relegated from the Barclays English Premier league in 2012 after spending eleven uninterrupted years in the English top flight, But there are currently swimming in relegation waters in the Championship under the management of Neil Lennon.

The deal to take over Bolton is believed to be worth about 15 million pounds, with Gartside agreeing to pay off the club’s huge debts.

Amir Khan
photo credit: AIBA
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Amir Khan is a well know Bolton Wanderers fan and this new lease of life might just be the boost the team requires to survive a further slip drown the rungs of English football and maybe possibly return to its pride of place amongst the big boys in the Premiership.

Nigeria Basketball Federation Begins Re-Strategizing To Reposition Basketball

In a bid to sustain the recent successes recorded by the nation in basketball, the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has started re-strategizing with the aim of making major actors and stakeholders, especially the staff of the federation key into the vision of transforming the game to an enviable height.

As a result, the NBBF in conjunction with BVS Professional Services,a multidisciplinary consulting firm based in Lagos, held a two-day brainstorming session in Abuja last Saturday and Sunday with federation members and staff, technical and youth committee member, national team coaches as well as technical officials of the game.

Among those who attended the sessions are coaches Sani Ahmed, Ayinla Johnson, Abdulrahaman Mohammed, Scott Nnaji, Adewunmi Aderemi, Tari Preh, Adeka Daudu, Ogoh Odaudu, Emmanuel Odah as well as president of the Nigerian Basketball Referees Council, Tunde Popoola.

Others are league management committee members Ajibarade Bello, Lawal Garba, Skambo Morrison as well as Obande Ogbole and Gbade Olatona, both statisticians and members of the youth development committee.

The consultants, led by Oluyemi Abaolu-Johnson took the stakeholders through the Strategic Planning Model which reappraised the current Nigerian basketball landscape and administrative structure and arrived at a new frontier with promising outcomes.

Nigeria Basketball Federation President, Tijjani Umar

Speaking at the session, NBBF president, Tijjani Umar stressed that the NBBF is embarking on capacity building for its staff to make them understand the vision of the board of making Nigerian basketball a reference point in Nigerian sports administration and therefore own and help drive it.

Lead consultant, Abaolu-Johnson stressed that his firm decided to partner with the NBBF because it saw that the federation has a strong leadership which needs an equally committed and resourceful staff to make basketball a strong brand that will attract sponsors to help take the game to the next level.

Lubomir KOTLEBA – FIBA Sports Director photo credit FIBA

Basketball’s world governing body, FIBA’s Special Advisor, Lubomir Kotleba whose visit to the NBBF coincided with the strategizing session commended the leadership of the federation, stressing that “I don’t have much to advise you on because you are already doing what I came here to advocate.”

Stressing that the consultants have already spelt out ways to make Nigerian basketball the super brand it could be,he advised that what each stakeholding unit needed to do was to demonstrate commitment in their various areas of specialization.