The World Of Sports

Tuesday, 30 August 2016

NFF, to take full responsibility for the bronze medal outing of the Team Nigeria to the Rio Olympics 2016.

The former Director- General of the National Sports Commission, Dr. Amos Adamu, has called on the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, to take full responsibility for the bronze medal outing of the Team Nigeria to the Rio Olympics 2016. Adamu noted that, the NFF under the leadership of Amaju Pinnick took a vital decision in sending the Dream Team VI to Atlanta, USA for intensive camping.
Even when the minister denied the presence of the team in Atlanta, the NFF continued with the camping exercise. It was this persistence that eventually earned Team Nigeria the only medal at the Rio Olympics.
“The truth of the matter is that, if Amaju had waited like the other sports federations’ president for the Sports Ministry’s funds which came two weeks to the Rio Games, to commence serious camping for the Games, the Olympic soccer team wouldn’t have been well prepared to win bronze.
“It is imperative that the NFF should stand firm to take the glory for helping Nigeria not to return empty handed from the Rio Olympics just as it was the case at the London 2012 Games.
“As little as the bronze medal looks, it is better than nothing. I want to commend the leadership of the NFF for its visionary decision. This will also help the career of the players and officials who are today proud winners of an Olympic medal. I am in sports and I know how difficult it is to win a medal in the Olympics.”

Wednesday, 24 August 2016

3 Olympic weightlifting gold medalists fail doping retests

Three Olympic champion weightlifters from China and eight other medalists stand to be stripped of their titles after failing retests of their doping samples from the 2008 Olympics.

The International Weightlifting Federation says the 11 tested positive for a range of banned substances in the latest scandal to shake the sport, which is already processing retests which caught numerous medalists from the 2008 and 2012 games. They are all provisionally suspended until the doping cases are resolved.

The IWF said in a statement on its website Wednesday that Chinese gold medalists Cao Lei, Liu Chunhong and Chen Xiexia all tested positive for GHRP-2, which stimulates growth hormone production, while Liu also tested positive for the stimulant sibutramine.

The other eight medalists include current world record holder Andrei Rybakou of Belarus, who won silver in 2008. All tested positive for various anabolic steroids, according to the IWF.

The other medalists are Anastasia Novikova of Belarus, Kazakhstan's Maria Grabovetskaya and Irina Nekrasova, Russia's Khadzhimurat Akkaev and Dmitry Lapikov, and Ukraine's Natalya Davydova and Olha Korobka.

Four other weightlifters from Beijing 20008 who did not win medals were also named as having failed tests. They include Kazakhstan's Maiya Maneza and Belarus' Iryna Kulesha, both of whom won medals in 2012 but not 2008 and are already suspended over retests from 2012.

A further 10 lifters who competed at the 2008 Olympics, including five medalists, had already been suspended in June and July after failing an earlier wave of retests. One medal, the silver won by Turkey's Sibel Ozkan in the women's 48-kilogram class, has already been stripped.

Tuesday, 16 August 2016

Usain Bolt Desperate To Break 200m World Record

Usain Bolt is eager to break his own record in the 200metres at the 2016 Olympics.

The Jamaican runner, became the first man the win the 100m title in the Olympics for a third time and begins his bid for an eighth Olympic gold in the 200m heats on Tuesday.
Bolt’s seven-year record currently stands at 19.19secs

“This is one of the biggest things,” Bolt said.

“I really want [the] 200m world record. If I can get a good rest after the semi-finals, there’s a possibility I could.
“When it comes to the 200m, I’m much more confident. The 100m is always the hardest

Christian Taylor wins Olympic triple jump gold

Christian Taylor has successfully defended his Olympic triple jump title, leading Will Claye in a repeat U.S. sweep of gold and silver medals.

Taylor, who won gold in London in 2012 at 17.81, set the benchmark on Tuesday with a season-leading mark of 17.86 on his first attempt.

Claye was second again and Dong Bin of China won bronze.

Monday, 15 August 2016

Super Eagles move up 3 places in August ranking

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have improved in the monthly FIFA Ranking compared to their position last month.

A game-less month of June meant that the Super Eagles dropped nine places to 70th in the ranking of last month but in the latest, Nigeria have moved up three places to 67th place.

In the ranking released on Thursday, August 8, the Super Eagles however remain the 16th country in Africa.

Algeria (32), Ghana (35), Cote d'Ivoire (36), Senegal (41), Egypt (43), Tunisia (45), Morocco (53), Cameroon (54), Congo DR (56), Cape Verde (58), Mali (59), Congo (63), South Africa (64), Uganda (65) and Guinea (66) are all above Nigeria.

The world top 10 remain unchanged with Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, Germany and Chile all five.

Euro 2016 winners, Portugal are sixth in the world followed by France, Spain, Brazil and Italy.

World Ranking

(1) Argentina (2) Belgium (3) Colombia (4) Germany (5) Chile (6) Portugal (7) France (8) Spain (9) Brazil (10) Italy

African Ranking

(1) Algeria (2) Ghana (3),Cote d'Ivoire (4) Senegal (5) Egypt (6) Tunisia(7) Morocco (8) Cameroon (9) Congo DR (10)… Nigeria (16)

Rooney Lauds Mourinho After Testimonial Match Against Everton

Wayne Rooney has described Jose Mourinho’s low-key approach to life as Manchester United manager but insists the new Old Trafford chief has a fierce will to win.

The United and England captain was talking after he marked his testimonial with a goalless draw against Everton, his team’s final preparation before Sunday’s Community Shield meeting with champions Leicester.

It was also the first Old Trafford game in which Mourinho, United’s fourth manager in five turbulent seasons, has taken charge of the club.

Two of his predecessors, Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes, were in the stand to show their appreciation for Rooney’s 12 years at the club and the striker insisted that Mourinho has yet to adopt the same confrontational style as Fergie.

“He’s not someone who is going to come in – at the moment he hasn’t anyway – and start throwing things,” said Rooney.

“You never know when the season starts. He’s competitive and wants to win every game, whether it’s a friendly tonight or the Charity Shield on Sunday.

“He obviously gets his message across. He wants to win but he’s not a real big shouter.

“He expects a lot from his players and just from him talking he has got that aura about him where you know exactly the message he’s getting across to you.”

Ferguson, of course, earned a fierce reputation with tall tales of him having often thrown “tea cups” in anger in the United dressing room when things were not to his liking.

Mourinho may not have the same fearsome approach but, according to Rooney, he is every bit as much a winner as Ferguson.

“He wants to win. He wanted to win tonight,” said Rooney. “He re-iterated that at half time. Playing for Manchester United, even if it’s a friendly game you want to win.

“Unfortunately we didn’t but it’s something myself and my family will remember.”

A drab game had little to entertain the 58,597 crowd, who will help Rooney raise a reported £5 million for charity, and, as has been the case throughout the pre-season games, Mourinho used 22 players during the 90 minutes.

The pairing between Rooney and new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic lasted less than an hour although there were glimpses of its potential.

“It was a good performance but also minutes on the pitch,” said Rooney. “That’s only a second game for a few of the players in pre-season so it was important we got a few minutes.

“In the first half I thought we played some good stuff and created some chances. Second half was a bit stop-start with all the changes but there are positives we can take out the game tonight and certainly things we can work on.”

Everton manager Ronald Koeman, who completed the £7.1 million signing of Aston Villa midfielder Idrissa Gueye on the day before the testimonial, was not impressed with his own team’s efforts at Old Trafford.

“First of all, Idrissa is a player we need, a midfield player who is a little bit different to other midfielders,” he said.

“Tonight, we had good organisation in the team but I expect quality on the ball. Tonight our ball possession wasn’t the level I expect. You need to be more confident if you’re playing against Manchester United.”