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T H I S D AY •FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016
FRIDAYSPORTS
Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com
NFF Working to Immortalising Amodu, Keshi
Keno Edhowo The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced yesterday that it is working on immortaliing coaching legends, Amodu Shaibu and Stephen Keshi, who both passed on last month. While Amodu has been buried almost immediately after his death according to Islamic rites, Keshi is to begin his final journey home with an elaborate state burial starting in Benin City on July 27. NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi reiterated this while receiving in his office yesterday, the newly-appointed National Technical Director of the federation, Mr. Bitrus Bewarang. Amodu, the only person to have coached the Super Eagles in four different periods, was the National Technical Director before his death on Saturday, June 11. Keshi, the longest-serving captain of the team who also
coached the team to win the Africa Cup of Nations and reach the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup, passed on three days earlier. “The NFF is liasing with the government through the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, with regards to the immortalisation of the two icons of our football who died last month. Both men contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria football and will never be forgotten. “The NFF board has immense confidence in your person that you will be able to fit quite well into the shoes left by late Coach Amodu and perhaps come up with great ideas to enhance the workings of the Technical department,” Sanusi told Bewarang, who is president of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association. On Wednesday, Mr. Abdulrafiu Yusuf (Assistant Director, Technical) and Dr. Robinson Okosun (Head,
Shaibu
Keshi Psychology Unit) represented the NFF at the 40th day Fidau prayer for the soul of the
departed Amodu at his home town in Okpella, Edo State. The final burial rites for late
Stephen Keshi will begin on Wednesday, July 27 with a lying-in-state in Abuja, and
culminate in internment at his hometown, Illa, Delta State on Friday, July 29.
‘NNPC Junior Tennis to World-class Golf Garden Waterfront Opens in Abuja and business The centre will be run by every day is the one day Secure Nigeria’s Dominance’ Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja executives golfers. an international professional on which the reputation of Nigeria’s Junior Tennis Head Coach, Mohammed Ubale, has stated that the NNPC Junior Tennis Championship, among other developmental tournaments, will secure Nigeria’s top position in West and Central Africa. Nigeria has been the team to beat in the zone which has 16 countries and Ubale said the gap between Nigeria and others are widening by the years due to the nation’s commitment to junior programmes. “The players are doing a lot to prove themselves knowing that this is one of the platforms at which we select players into our junior national teams. “The programme has over the years helped us to get good players and that is why we are the number one country in West and Central Africa Zone. “Our leadership position is undoubtedly secured and on
the continent as a whole, we are going higher as well judging by our performance in the last African Junior Championship where we had our best outing ever,” he stated. The 2016 edition taking place at the National Stadium, Lagos enters its penultimate day today with Marylove Edward, who topped Pool B battling Toyin Asogba and Angel Mcleod, winner of Pool A, confronting Fortune Aniso in the semifinals of the girl’s 16&under. Thursday was a memorable day for Kodian Tennis Foundation from Rivers as Amiyefor Jim Jaja, Timipre Maxwell, Victor Tom-Friday and David Dawariye all progressed to the semifinals of their various categories.
StarTimes Set to Broadcast International Champions Cup Live Digital TV company, StarTimes Nigeria, yesterday announced that it has acquired the media rights for International Champions Cup (ICC) on exclusive basis in sub-Saharan Africa for the 2015 to 2019 seasons and will be beaming the games live and exclusively to Nigerians from today, July 22 through August 13. “StarTimes football loving subscribers in Nigeria will yet again be treated to another fantastic round of pulsating football entertainment beginning from Friday July 22, just as we did during the Copa America Centenario and the European Championship. “ICC 2016 is the mini Champions League and ultimate pre-season football tournament where the biggest clubs in the world would battle for glory.17 champion clubs would clash in 22 matches
spread over 23 days in uncensored soccer festival. Armed with exclusive broadcast rights, StarTimes World Football (channel 254) and Sports Focus (channel 250) channels would wow subscribers with another top-class actions series from the top teams including FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester United, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain who are all set to play 21 matches in China, Australia and the United States. It would be exciting to see Jose Mourinho reignite bitter rivalry with Pep Guardiola in Manchester derby on Monday 25 in China! Barca, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich will do battle against one another in three different continents on Sat 30 June 2016!
Golf leisure in Nigeria is about to be redefined with the coming on board of Golf Garden Waterfront, in Wuse 2, Abuja. The club aims to promote exclusive lifestyle and boasts of facilities that will set the benchmark in golf tourism in Nigeria and Africa as it is inspired by some of the best exclusive golf clubs in America and Europe. The founder and CEO of Golf Garden Waterfront, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, said yesterday that new centre that is set up in the business hub of Aminu Kano Crescent will redefine the image of golf in Nigeria and Africa. Aside from an enclosed driving range, short-game holes, pro shops, a museum and six in-door golf suites, the course is fitted with a travel agency, corporate suites, meeting rooms, restaurants, barber’s shops, golf laboratories and 34 toilets for men and women. The golf suites are equipped with simulators that help golfers lower their scores when playing on an open golf course. It also has flood lights that will enable golfers enjoy a knock about in the night. The course grass type is both Bermuda green and Brent. It targets members of the diplomatic corps, corporate
“We are an exclusive private membership golf club that aims for golfing standard in Nigeria. We also seek to raise the stakes of professional golf in Nigeria in addition to running a high standard golf academy,” Runsewe, a golfer and the former director general of Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) said. He said the golf garden, which was conceived four years ago, has produced its own golf book and will issue certificates for beginners, advanced players and senior golfers.
trainer from South Africa, to be assisted by five other Nigerian professional golfers. Runsewe also reeled out the club’s philosophy, saying the Golf Garden Waterfront is to be considered one of the greatest golf experience and modern golf facility base with unique brand. “With your kind golfing support, we will provide a quality product, which must be maintained and cared for at a superior level of consistency. “Golf Garden Waterfront philosophy is simple. Every service we provide will be the best of its kind. We believe
Golf Garden Waterfront will be created and judged. We will be the club by which others set standard. We are totally responsible as a team for reputation and image presented to our distinguished members and special guest. “Our guiding principles define our actions, actions define our character. We are determined to change the face of golfing in Africa from manual to IT Base and endeavour to provide a facility that appreciates our distinguished members and their pride guest and support our community.”, he said.
CEO of Golf Garden Waterfront, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe shows guests some of the items stuffed at the Pro shop
Russia Fails to Overturn Athlete Ban from Rio Olympics Russian track and field athletes will remain banned from the Olympics following claims the country ran a state-sponsored doping programme. The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and 68 Russian athletes attempted to overturn the suspension, implemented by the body that governs world athletics. But the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled it can stand.
A handful of Russian athletes could still compete as neutrals at the Rio Games, which start on August 5. “It’s sad but rules are rules,” said Olympic 100m and 200m champion Usain Bolt, who is targeting more gold medals in Rio. He said it was important to send a strong message to the dopers. “Doping violations in track and field is getting really bad,”
said the Jamaican, 29. “If you cheat or go or against the rules, this will scare a lot of people.” However, Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva one of the 68 to appeal to CAS - said the ruling was “a blatant political order”, while the Russian Foreign Ministry called it a “crime against sport”. Isinbayeva, the 2012 gold medallist, 34, told the TASS News Agency: “Thank you all
for this funeral for athletics.” The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said it was “pleased CAS has supported its position”, adding that the judgment had “created a level playing field for athletes”. IAAF President Lord Sebastien Coe added: “This is not a day for triumphant statements. I didn’t come into this sport to stop athletes from competing.”