NFF: Lagos SWAN Cautions On Fresh Crisis

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, Lagos chapter, has called on the sports establishment and stakeholders in Nigerian football to be wary of any fresh crisis in the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, warning that it will constitute a drawback on the development of the sub-sector.

The Lagos SWAN statement is in reaction to recent statements credited to followers of club owner and former contestant for the NFF presidency, Chris Giwa, and purportedly to the office of the Minister of Sports, both seeking the dissolution of the current NFF board and the reinstatement of a Chris Giwa board.

The statement by Lagos SWAN chairman, Fred Edoreh, reads: “We note with curiosity recent statements credited first to members of the Chris Giwa-mandate group threatening to upturn the management structure of the Nigerian Professional Football League and sack the League Management Company, and also to return to take over the NFF in the new year. Equally alarming was another press release falsely credited to the office of the Honourable Minister of Sports which allegedly directed the NFF to honour the purported mandate of Chris Giwa.

“We are indeed relieved that the office of the Honourable Minister, through the Special Adviser on Media, has refuted the statement and dissociated the minister from its issue. However, knowing that there can be no smoke without fire, the public and corporate partners of Nigerian football have been left with the fear that something sinister which could breed another regime of destabilization may be cooking. It should suffice to say that a house destroyed can only be inherited by the wind and where wind is sown the harvest can only be whirlwind which do not support development and progress.

“In the first place, it is unacceptable that the office of the Honourable Minister can be credited with a statement which it did not authorise and, worse, by unauthorized persons. It is not enough for the minister to refute the statement but must get to the root of this impersonation and possibly sanction the perpetrators. This is necessary to establish confidence and disabuse the mind of the public about any tendency for nepotism as is being imagined in some quarters.

Secondly, even in the rebuttal, we find it curious for the minister to establish that there is a “lingering crisis in the NFF” and that he has received “presentations” from the “warring factions” until “this issue is resolved.”

“Without doubt, those phrases indicate a re-wakening of a dead and buried matter, the reasons for which we find hard to fathom.

The history and material particulars of the Giwa dispute are very clear: Whereas the incidents on the day of the purported elective congress of Giwa group are well known; the members of the NFF congress including majority of the state FA chairmen and club owners, the Confederation of African Football and FIFA, all being the relevant bodies, rejected the purported election; the group approached a Federal High Court in Jos praying for affirmation and also moved in to take over the NFF
secretariat; FIFA threatened Nigeria with suspension unless these two actions were remedied; the Giwa faction approached the Court of Arbitration for Sports to stop FIFA and its application was rejected;

then, to forestall the imminent FIFA suspension, the group, represented by Barr. Ardzard Habilla, went on to withdraw the suit
and Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Jos court struck out the matter. Case end.

Fred Edoreh, Chairman Lagos SWAN

“Since then, over a year now, Nigeria football has enjoyed some peace and progress with stakeholders making efforts to drive up corporate partnership and general development. The members of the congress of the NFF endorsed and attended the elective congress which brought in the Amaju board as held and endorsed under NFF statutes and FIFA guidelines and supervision. They made up the same congress which the minister attended and opened their Annual General Assembly only recently at which there was no rancor nor any issues raised as per the legitimacy of the board. How can we then say that there is a “lingering crisis” for which the minister says he is receiving “presentations” from which “warring factions?” Where and for what reason is this re-echo coming from? We are not aware that after its withdrawal from the Jos court the Giwa group has resusciteted its
ligitagation which it has a right to do.

“We wish to appeal that in as much as all men are free to pursue their personal and group ambitions, it must be within the limits of law and convention, and the statutes, consensus and endorsement of relevant institutions guiding national and international association football but, most importantly, we have gone through this road too many times and we advice that it will be a disservice to the nation to re-stir the hornet’s nest. Needless to say that with the two disturbing releases NFF partners and exisiting and potential sponsors have begun to rejig their investment layout to steer away from the forecast of
deliberately induced squabbles in the NFF in 2016. We also warn those who are beating the drums of anarchy by the sidelines to desist from this unpatriotic act and not to imagine that they are as masked as they think.”

ITF/AJC: Nigeria Lists 32 Players For Camping …. As Quadri Arrives From Morocco

Host Nigeria has listed 32 players for camping ahead of the 2016 ITF-Africa Junior Championship Zonal Qualifying Championship billed for 9th-17th of January, 2016 in Abuja.

Nigeria junior tennis coach, Mohammed Ubale disclosed that the camping will hold from January 2nd-8th after which the final list of 24 players will be selected for the championship which will feature 12&U, 14&U and 16&U categories.

Ubale revealed that Christopher Itodo, Chris Bulus, Michael Oshewa, Matthew Abamu, Angel McLeod, Adetayo Adetunji (South Africa), Oyinlomo Quadri are some of the players that are penciled down for camping stating that the players were chosen based on the combination of their rankings and performance in the outgoing year-2015.

He stated that the mission of the team is to consolidate on Nigeria’s outstanding performance last year ahead of the main championship billed for South Africa later in 2016.

“We are looking forward to a good championship as usual because we have produced the highest number of talents in the west and central African region in the last few years and through the support of the Nigeria Tennis Federation we are set to go and do Nigeria proud once again,” Ubale said.

Nigeria has been the superpower of the 14-country zone following its winning of the last two editions of the zonal qualifiers held in 2014 in Abuja and 2015 in Lome, Togo.

Angel Mcleod

Meanwhile Nigeria’s tennis sensation, Oyinlomo Quardri arrived Nigeria on Tuesday to boost the country’s medal hope at the tournament which, among other countries, will feature Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Mali and Gabon.

Quadri, 13, is the undisputed best player in the Girls’ 14&under category in West and Central Africa zone, a feat that earned her a one year ITF scholarship to Morocco. Her consistency throughout the year also earned her invitation to the Top 8 ITF Africa Junior Masters in Casablanca, Morocco in October where she reached the quarterfinal.

Egypt In Intense Build Up To African Olympic Volleyball Qualifiers

Egypt Men’s Volleyball team are preparing for the final stage of preparations for the 2016 Men’s African Olympic qualifiers to be hosted by Congo Brazzaville January 7 to 14, 2016. The Egyptian Team will enter a training camp in Finland ahead of the qualifiers.

Ahmed Abdelhay of Egypt

The camp starts December 27 and continues until January 2 and it also includes 3 friendly matches against the Finnish team which is considered the last stage of preparations for the qualifiers.

Egypt have qualified 3 times in the past to the Olympics in Los Angeles 1984, Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008.

The technical staff led by the Italian head coach Gulineli Flavio who took over the responsibility of handling the team a few weeks ago will select the final squad of 14 players after this camp.

Egypt will miss the experienced outside hitter Mohamed Abdelmoniem and the middle blocker Mohamed Adel in the qualification tournament due to injuries.

Egypt’s libero Mohamed Moawad in action

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FEI Secretary General voices support for Officials at London Olympia

FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez has today voiced her full support for the actions of FEI Officials at London Olympia on Monday night (21 December) when Irish rider Bertram Allen was disqualified after blood was found on the flank of his horse, Quiet Easy.

“I have absolutely no doubt that the protocols regarding blood on the horse were followed correctly at London Olympia on Monday night”, Sabrina Ibáñez said.

“Of course this incident has created a considerable amount of discussion on social media because Bertram Allen would otherwise have won the Grand Prix, so there is a high level of sympathy for him, but the FEI Officials were in Olympia – as they are at every event run under FEI Rules – to ensure a fair and level playing field and that the welfare of the horse is protected.

“Blood was found on the flank of Bertram Allen’s horse and, under FEI Jumping Rules, that results in mandatory disqualification. The situation was reported to the Ground Jury by the FEI Steward who had conducted the normal post-competition check on the horse and Bertram Allen was then informed of his disqualification in person by the President of the Ground Jury and the Foreign Judge.

“Let me be clear, disqualification under this rule does not imply that there was any intent to injure the horse, but it is crucial that the rules are enforced in order to ensure that horse welfare ‎is protected.

“It is very easy for any sports official to be criticised when they are simply doing their job. Everything at Olympia was handled correctly and in accordance with the rules, but there is no doubt that it was an unfortunate end to a wonderful event.”

SHEATH YOUR SWORDS- DALUNG

The Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung says he has not given any directive for any court order to be respected or flouted.

This followed a release in circulation which said Barrister Dalung had ordered that the NFF leadership must respect all court orders pending his assumption of office as the Sports Minister.

“Except there are two Ministers of Youth and Sports, I don’t know where this statement is coming from but I can tell you that the two warring factions had presented their cases at different times and I’m taking my time to study the issue”.

In the interim, the Minister appealed to the warring factions of the Nigeria Football Federation to maintain peace and tranquility.

Honourable Minister For Youths and Sports Solomon Dalung

” I urge you to desist from anything that will truncate our preparations for the forthcoming Olympics and make a mockery of the victories recorded so far by the various national teams. The media should also restrain from sensational reportage of non- existing issues that will heighten the tension. The NFF leadership is still as we met it on board until this issue is resolved. We shall put all machinery in place to resolve this crisis permanently. I have not given any directive to the contrary until we find a permanent solution to the lingering crisis in the NFF” Dalung said.