By Emmanuel Afonne

The Federal Government has approved the recognition of Mixed Martial Arts (NMMAF), as one of the National Sports Federations under the control and supervision of the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development.

The Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare, said this in a statement issued on Tuesday by Mohammed Manga, Director, Press & Public Relations of the ministry.

Manga reported the minister as saying that the approval was granted on Jan. 11 following series of interfaces between the federation’s board and the ministry.

He said the approval came, having satisfied the condition precedent, pursuant to NMMAF’s acceptance to abide by the Code of Governance of all National Sports.

“The recognition has also saddled the Federation with the responsibility to develop, regulate and ensure the safety of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as a thriving Sports in Nigeria in line with global best practices,” the statement quoted Dare as saying.

He called on the federation to work towards discovering and developing talents from the grassroots for the game.

The minister also urged them to take the game to a world class status not only through the development and maintenance of strict rules but also adhering strictly to its standards.

The Mixed Martial Arts Game is reputed to be one of the world’s fastest growing sports with an estimated 449 million followers worldwide.

Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman, Israel Adesanya, Sodiq Yusuf and Kennedy Nzechukwu are among the top ranking Mixed Martial Arts fighters in the world. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

By Justina Auta

Dr Olaolu Modupe-Oni, Medical Director, HealthGate Medical Centre, has highlighted the need for regular physical exercises to improve brain health, manage weight and reduce the risk of diseases

Modupe-Oni gave the advice on Saturday at an inter-house  sports competition, organised by Holy Child Educational Home, with the theme, “The champion in Me”, in Abuja.

He said: “We need to get active and exercise our bodies.

“There are diseases that stem from children not being active. Also being active helps them in their educational endeavours.

“Children need these exercises because it is not only adults that are obese, we also have children obesity.

“Competitions help in the release of positive endorphins when you exercise and it is essential to us all,’’ he said.

He noted that children rarely exercise but focus more on the digital devices like the phones, laptops, computer games and television, which gives them little time for exercises, hence, they are prone to obesity and other diseases.

“We live in a digital era, kids are always in front of laptops, ipads, television and they hardly get any physical activity done.

“These kind of engagements also foster healthy competitions, cooperation amongst them and a sense of camaraderie, and provides academic guidance,’’ he said.

He also advised parents to disclose the medical history of their children to school authorities to enable them know the activities that the students can engage in that will not affect their health.

Mrs Ajibike Olufemi, the school Director, said the inter-house sports activity was to build the students confidence, discover talents and connect them with relevant stakeholders that would groom them for the future.

“There is a high level of potentials and talents in them that we want them to tap from, build on it and make the best use of it.

“We also want them to shun social and negative vices by instilling in them positive and healthy values in such a way that they can have self-confidence, determination and strive hard for success.

“We have some sports council officials that are here to actually identify talents who they can build up and train,’’ she said.

Miss Esther Joel, a student and one of the participants, said engaging in sporting activities is to prepare her pursue a career in basketball.

Similarly, Mr Okewu Anthony, another student, said: “sport makes me happy, makes my brain function well and I intend to pursue a career in the military, so this activity will help me to be strong, agile and ready for the task ahead.’’

One of the parents, Mrs Oluwakemi Annafi, said “the event was an opportunity for parents to network and also to encourage some of us and our children to be medically and physically fit.

“This sporting event enables the children to improve intellectually, gives them a sense of competition and confidence to participate in competition and win.’’

Similarly, another parent, Mrs Ngozi Uzokwu, urged the school to partner with others towards harnessing the sporting potentials of the students to enable them pursue careers and represent the country in sports. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Vincent Obi

By Emmanuel Afonne

Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr Sunday Dare on Sunday congratulated Anthony Joshua, Nigerian-born former world heavyweight boxing champion, for defeating his opponent, Jermaine Franklin in an international bout on Saturday.

Dare noted in his congratulatory message that Joshua fought like a lion to defeat his American challenger.

Joshua defeated Franklin by unanimous decision at the 02 Arena in London to get the crucial win in his first fight since his September 2022 loss to Oleksandr Uysk in Saudi Arabia.

“The former world champion demonstrated the heart of a lion in the encounter and his victory was well-deserved.’’ Dare stated in his congratulatory message.

The minister praised Joshua for keeping alive the “never-say-die’’ spirit for which Nigeria is known.

“You never gave up. With an undying spirit, you clutched victory when it mattered most.

“We will continue to cheer you on,’’ Dare wrote.

Joshua is expected to fight with Tyson Fury this summer after a dominant win over Franklin in his ring return.

The former world champion said after defeating Franklin that he and promoter Eddie Hearn were keen to organise a bout with Fury, with deal points already agreed from their failed December 2022 fight. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Alli Hakeem

By Emmanuel Afonne

The Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare, has said that sports in the country would henceforth be seen as business to enable the industry contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation.

A statement signed by Mohammed Manga, Director, Press and Public Relations in the ministry, quoted Dare as saying this while inaugurating a 10-man technical committee on “national sports as business policy” in Abuja.

Dare stated that what the Ministry has introduced is in line with global practice.

“The major weakness was that sports was just categorised as recreation and service, it was not a business and therefore placed financial burden on the Federal government,” the statement quoted Dare as saying.

The 10-man committee was inaugurated to draw up the details of the incentives that would be in the National Sports as Business Policy.

While inaugurating the committee, the minister stated that the first-ever National Sports Industry Policy, approved by President Muhammad Buhari, in Council, on Nov. 2, 2022, was aimed at moving Sports in Nigeria from recreation to Business.

Dare stated that the committee which would be coordinated by the Minister of Finance, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, had the responsibility of working out the modalities for the successful transition of sports in the country from recreation to business.

“For over three years now, the ministry has been at work reviewing past sports policies and also dealing with the weaknesses therein.

“Looking at about 10 countries that dominate the world of global sports, the ministry decided to look at sports as business, which, if handled appropriately, can among others, contribute to the annual GDP of the country.

“It can also provide employment for about 2 to 5 million youth, grants, other necessary supports as well as scholarships for athletes,” he said.

According to Dare, investment, incentives and infrastructure are the three things that drive sports as business, funded by government and the private sector.

He added that the policy was in line with the orientation of government which under the current National Development Plan (2021 to 2025) was based on 70 per cent of funds from the private sector and 30 per cent from government with rebate on tax.

The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, in his remarks, called on private individuals as well as stakeholders to key into the new policy with a view to taking sports to greater heights.

Abubakar commended Dare for the initiative, while thanking the president for granting approval to the policy.

He called on the committee to put in their best towards the success of the policy.

Dr Ladan Haruna, representative of the Federal Ministry of Finance and National Planning, while responding, assured that the committee members would bring their wealth of experience to bear in ensuring the success of the policy.

Haruna noted that the policy would boost the sports industry and impact positively on every sector of the economy if properly harnessed.

Members of the Technical Committee are Dr Ladan Haruna, Chinedu Louisa Okeke, Dominic Akuboh, Tabitha Dagyol, and Dr Ikenna Nwosu.

Others are, Amaechi Akawo, Bamiduro Olumide, Chasing Madumumere, Rep. of CBN, as well as Rep of Customs and Excise. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Vincent Obi

By Emmanuel Afonne

Sani Fema, a former board member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said the Super Eagles are a group of talented players without good coordination and head coach.

Fema, who is now a Special Assistant on Sports to Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, made this known on Monday in Abuja, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He was reacting to the Super Eagles 1-0 defeat of the Djurtus of Guinea Bissau in the return-leg match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier played on Monday at the Estadio 24 de Setembro Stadium in Guinea Bissau.

The Djurtus had three days ago humbled the Nigerian team 1-0 at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja in the first-leg of their encounter.

But Fema said the Eagles performance in Bissau have shown that the team was capable of confronting and defeating any team in the world but that it lacked the technical crew to bring out the best in the players.

“We can play Brazil with the same players but the problem is that we don’t have a good coach, I am sorry to say this; our technical crew is not good enough but we have the players to play any team in the world.

“You can see that the players did well in Guinea Bissau, most especially in the first half, the host couldn’t attack them.

“I am so impressed with the team but like I said, we lack good technical crew.

“I am not supporting Peserio, I prefer our local coaches.

“We have potential coaches, the likes of Sunday Oliseh and Emmanuel Amuneke. Oliseh is one of the best coaches in the world.

“Combine Oliseh with Amuneke and Salisu, then the Super Eagles are good to go because the players will listen to them having played in the team before them,” Fema said.

According to him, Oliseh is the best Nigerian coach to handle the present crop of Eagles.

Fema noted that Oliseh was not able to handle the team in his short stint as its coach because of circumstances beyond his control, but that the environment was befitting now for him to excel with the team.

“If you give Oliseh this calibre of players we have now, I tell you, the team will be the pride of the world.

“Imagine these players playing on a waterlogged pitch in Guinea Bissau and were still able to secure the maximum three points.”

He said that not even Sao Tome and Principe or Sierra Leon could stop the Super Eagles from finishing top of Group A and also picking the AFCON ticket. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

By Chimezie Anaso

Rangers Int’l FC of Enugu on Sunday secured the three points at stake in their Day 10 match in the 2022/2022 abridged national league encounter with Bayelsa Utd at the Awka Township Stadium.

The visitors from Yenagoa had gone ahead through Alax Oyowah in the 36th minute after absorbing a number of attacks by the hosts.

But Rangers returned to parity through a penalty through Godwin Obaje in the 48th minute and later went ahead in the 87th minute when Chidera Ezeh curled a spot kick into the net.

The victory which is the first after the break, placed the Flying Antelopes on seventh position on the log of the Group B after three wins, three draws and four loses in the National Professional Football League (NPFL).

In a post-match press conference, Rangers Coach Mbwas Mangut described the victory as hard fought and well deserved.

Mangut said his team remained a work in progress as their performance wasn’t the best they could offer while pouring encomiums on the competitive prowess of the visitors.

He said they placed more emphasis on garnering more points in their away games and ensuring that they do not drop any point at home. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Vincent Obi

The draw for the Under-20 FIFA World Cup, scheduled to take place in Indonesia next week, will be postponed after Bali’s governor refused to host the Israeli team.

The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) said the draw that was to be held on Friday had been cancelled.
FIFA were still conducting checks on tournament readiness.

The 24-team tournament is scheduled to be held from May 20 to June 11 across six cities and Israel were set to make their debut in the competition.

A report earlier this month said that Bali’s governor, Wayan Koster, had written to the Ministry of Youth and Sports imploring them to “adopt a policy forbidding the Israeli team from competing in Bali” due to the conflict with Palestine.

The letter was also sent to the PSSI.

“Previously, the Bali governor rejected the presence of the Israeli national team in the FIFA U-20 World Cup event. This can be a reason for FIFA to cancel the U-20 World Cup draw.

“Because, for FIFA, the governor’s refusal is the same as cancelling the organising guarantee that has been issued by the Bali provincial government,” the PSSI said in a statement.

Earlier this month, protesters marched in the capital of Jakarta waving Indonesian and Palestinian flags while demanding that Israel should not be allowed to participate.

Indonesia’s population is predominantly Muslim. Most Indonesian Muslims practice a moderate version of Islam, but recent years have seen a rise in religious conservatism that has crept into sports.

Over the past year, Israeli forces have made thousands of arrests in the West Bank and killed more than 200 Palestinians, including fighters and civilians.

Meanwhile, more than 40 Israelis and three Ukrainians have died in Palestinian attacks.

If Indonesia lose hosting rights as a result, PSSI Executive Committee member Arya Sinulingga said he was worried about how FIFA sanctions could “isolate Indonesian football from the world”.

Indonesia automatically qualified for the Under-20 World Cup as hosts but the last time they played in the tournament was in 1979.

Indonesia were also suspended by FIFA for nearly a year for government interference, with the global soccer body lifting the suspension in May 2016.

But at the time, the suspension had denied Indonesian teams the chance to qualify for upcoming major tournaments.

Sinulingga said the PSSI hoped for a solution where politics could be separated from sport, with its chairman Erick Thohir set to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

“The chairman will also report to Mr President at the first opportunity to find a solution to all this, both diplomacy and foreign policy to save Indonesian football that we love,” Sinulingga added.

The PSSI said losing hosting rights would harm Indonesian football teams’ chances of taking part in other FIFA tournaments in the future while the economic losses would amount to “trillions of rupiah”.

Indonesia is also trying to rebuild its reputation after a deadly stampede last year led to the deaths of 135 spectators at a stadium in East Java in October.

Many were crushed as they fled for exits after police fired tear gas into the crowd. (Reuters/NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Emmanuel Afonne/Vincent Obi

By Emmanuel Afonne

Three sports journalists based in Abuja on Sunday urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to relieve Jose Peseiro of his Super Eagles Head Coach job before it is too late.

They made the call following the Eagles’ 0-1 loss to Guinea Bissau on Friday in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.

Romanus Ugwu, a sports writer and an Assistant Editor with the Sun Newspaper, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that retaining Peseiro was like holding on to expired drug.

“There is nothing we can do unless the NFF takes action, but if you ask me, I will automatically ask for the sack of Peseiro because he has not given us anything.

“Subsequently I will have to decide whether to watch Super Eagles match. I can’t be devastated like this all the time after Super Eagles match.

“I have learnt not to invest emotions in the team because I know that certainly they will disappoint.

“I am not surprised with the outcome of the game but I expected that after we lost the World Cup ticket to Ghana, that we are going to see something else.

“All of a sudden, we are seeing thunder striking twice at the same place,” Ugwu said.

For Ndubueze Chidoka, Chairman of a faction of the FCT Chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), noted that everything about the country’s football was on the decline.

“I am disappointed that the Eagles could not fly considering the fact that we are nursing the pain of not qualifying for the World Cup when Ghana came to deny us the ticket at this same venue.

“And many football fans were looking up to the Super Eagles to make up in subsequent matches.

“It was unfortunate that the Super Eagles lost to Guinea Bissau barely 42 hours after the under-23 team drew against Guinea.

“This is a humiliation. The worst would have been a draw. For Guinea to come here and defeat us means that we don’t have a team and a coach.

“Everything about our football is going down drastically and something urgent must be done,” Chidoka said.

A former chairman of FCT SWAN, Victor Iroele, on his part said a lot of factors contributed to the team’s lacklustre performance in recent times.

Iroele noted that weather and the pitch could be contributing factors to the poor show of the team.

But he added that the technical crew had a lot of work to do if they would be retained

“NFF needs to apply the big stick if necessary, to save the country from further embarrassing outings and to ensure the country did not miss the AFCON ticket, the way it missed the World Cup ticket.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Olawale Alabi