Sports

Stadium Invasion: ‘FIFA’s N63.9m Fine Lesson for Nigeria’

Published

2 years ago

May 3, 2022

Eric

Ex-Internationals Christian Okpala and Ifeanyi Udeze say FIFA’s hammer on Nigeria would serve as a big lesson to the country in future.

FIFA fined Nigeria CHF150,000 (N63.9m) and also ordered the country to play its next international football match behind closed doors following crowd violence at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on March 29, during the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Ghana.

Government had thrown the stadium gates open as part of efforts to cheer the Eagles to victory, after the first leg of the final playoffs between the fierce rivals ended goalless in Kumasi four days earlier.

However, after the game, irate fans invaded the main bowl of the stadium, destroying everything in sight as Ghana advanced on the away goal rule following a 1-1 stalemate with the Eagles in Abuja.

The fans also vented their anger on the celebrating Black Stars players, pelting them with water bottles until they found a way out of the newly renovated pitch.

After chasing the Ghanaians off, they then started pulling the grass as well as destroying the technical area and shattering the glasses.

Efforts by security operatives to dispatch the mob with teargas canisters was in vain, as the fans wreaked more havoc, pelting the VIP stand from the pitch side with different objects.

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, in its summary jurisdiction over incidents that occurred during the World Cup qualifiers, delivered the sanctions in a letter updated on April 28.

According to FIFA, Nigeria’s fines were as a result of failure to implement “Order and security at matches (failure to implement existing safety rules and failure to ensure that law and order are maintained in the stadium, invasion of the field of play and throwing of objects).”

Former Super Eagles assistant coach Okpala stated that the fine was in line with the magnitude of the offence committed.

“As a Nigerian I would have loved FIFA to pardon us since we won’t be going to the World Cup in the first place. But this is not a Nigerian incident, it’s a global decision. In FIFA, there are rules and regulations, so, there are penalties for what happened in Abuja,” Okpala, a two-time AFCON winner as player and assistant coach, told The PUNCH.

“So, I think they followed the rules. It will be a lesson to us and other African countries to desist from the act.”

Though ex-Eagles defender Udeze, a member of the 2000 World Cup squad, insists FIFA’s decision was harsh he believes it will serve as a deterrent in the future.

“I feel it’s harsh but it will also serve as a warning to Nigeria and other African countries in the future. It is painful we didn’t get to qualify for the World Cup, yet we’re paying this large sum as a fine. We just have to hope that it doesn’t happen next time.”

“The fine is harsh but it would have been better if we had prevented the situation. To prevent same thing happening in the future, there should be a security committee and it must be embodied by experienced hands. Things like this should have been envisaged and prevented before it happened.”

Sports

PSG Bundle Barcelona Out of Champions League

Published

6 days ago

April 17, 2024

Eric

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have kicked 10-man Barcelona out of the Champions League as they qualified for the semi-final after winning 4-1 at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona had won the first leg 3-2 in Paris, but PSG won 6-4 on aggregate to qualify for the semi-finals.

Kylian Mbappe grabbed a brace in the encounter to see PSG through.

A Superb work from Lamine Yamal squared the ball to Raphinha, who beat Gianluigi Donnarumma with a brilliant shot into the bottom right corner to give Barcelona a 12th minute lead.

In the 29th minute, Ronald Araujo made an ugly tackle on his opponent and was sent off by the referee leaving the homers with 10 men to play the entire duration.

PSG capitalised on their advantage and equalised in the 40th minute. A former Barcelona player, Ousmane Dembele equalised for the visitors.

Bradley Barcola played the ball to Dembele, who showed great determination to get to the ball before a couple of defenders and from inside the box he shot into the top right corner of the net to make it 1-1.

PSG made it 1-2 in the 54th minute from a fantastic finish by Vitinha from just outside the box. He wasted little time in getting away a bullet of a shot that flew past the goalkeeper into the bottom left corner of the net.

Mbappe added another goal for PSG from the penalty spot in the 61st minute. He put the ball into the top left corner past the outstretched arm of Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

A minute to duration time, PSG made it 1-4. Mbappe fired the rebound into the bottom right corner after the ball broke to him in the box.

Sports

IGP Salutes Exceptional Performances of Police Athletes at 2023 African Games

Published

2 weeks ago

April 11, 2024

Eric

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM, has commended the exceptional performances of the Police Athletes who distinguished themselves, as Nigeria’s ambassadors at the recently concluded 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana.

The IGP notes that their remarkable performances across various sporting events have brought immense pride to the Force and the country at large.

While receiving the athletes, the IGP, who was represented by the Force Director of Sports (FSO), CP Patrick A. Atayero, likened the African Games to a continental Olympics, and harped on the significance of young and talented Police Sports Men and Women showcasing their skills, passion, determination and courage on such a prestigious stage to emerge Medalists. He emphasized that the success of Police Athletes at the 13th African Games which held from 8th to 26th March, 2024, shortly after the 14th Biennial Police Games (Oluyole 2024) that concluded on 2nd March in Ibadan, is a veritable testament to the effectiveness of the sports development initiatives of the Force.

The medalists – Inspr. Aisha Adamu, Sgt. Mohammed Inuwa, Sgt. Emmanuel Bala, Sgt. Matthew Deshi, Corporal Chika Blessing, Corporal Nathaniel Samson, Corporal Victor Ikechukwu, Corporal Eweh Emmanuel, Corporal Collins Obi, Corporal Godwin Sunday, Corporal Emmanuel Ochayi, Corporal Aminu Garba, PC Olayiwola Zainab, PC Mabel David, PC Precious Joel, PC Esther Peter, and Bello Tunde Muiz (Education Officer II), demonstrated exceptional dexterity in Arm wrestling, Athletics, Badminton, Mixed Martial Arts, Swimming and Hockey. These Police Athletes garnered 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 5 Bronze totalling 8 Medals, for Nigeria at the Continental Sports Fiesta.

The Inspector General of Police appreciates all Police Athletes for their dedication, hard work, and commitment to sporting excellence, national unity and development in all spheres in Nigeria. He reiterates that their collective success serves as an inspiration to other Police Officers and fellow aspiring Athletes and inestimable potentials across the nation.

Sports

Super Falcons Draw Goalless with South Africa, Quality for Paris Olympics

Published

2 weeks ago

April 9, 2024

Eric

Nigeria’s female national football team, Super Falcons have qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Nigeria beat South Africa 1-0 on aggregate to reach the Summer Olympics.

Rasheedat Ajibade scored from the spot in the first leg of the qualifiers in Abuja on Friday.

That goal was enough for the Super Falcons to pick one of Africa’s tickets for the women’s football event of the Paris Olympics as the second leg tie ended goaless in South Africa.

The last time Nigeria’s Super Falcons reached the Olympics was 16 years ago.