Sports Groove

...Says Super Eagles players never paid a dime ..Uyo stadium facility remains world-class – Elder Paul Bassey By Maxwell Kumoye          The Akwa Ibom State Government has firmly debunked reports suggesting Super Eagles players contributed money for the renovation of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, describing the claims as false, misleading, and embarrassing. Speaking to journalists, the Commissioner for Information, Honourable Aniekan Umanah, alongside Sports Commissioner Elder Paul Bassey, made it clear that the stadium is fully maintained by the state government, with no financial input from players or private individuals. They stressed that the Uyo facility remains in top condition, insisting it is still one of the finest football venues globally and currently Nigeria’s only stadium approved by both CAF and FIFA for international fixtures. According to the commissioners, maintenance of the stadium is handled under a running contract w...

  By Maxwell Kumoye and Trust Ittai        Athletes competing at the 4th Governor Douye Diri Wrestling Classics in Yenagoa received a major financial boost as Adewale Adeniyi disbursed over ₦20 million in subsidies to participants. The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, who also serves as President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, made the announcement during the opening ceremony of the tournament on Thursday, underlining his administration’s commitment to athletes’ welfare. Adeniyi revealed that every registered athlete at the championship would receive a ₦25,000 allowance, in addition to comprehensive feeding arrangements already put in place.  He further disclosed that medallists would earn extra cash rewards, while participating teams would benefit from travel subsidies to ease their logistics to Yenagoa. “As I have always maintained, the welfare of our athletes is central to our approach as a federation,” Adeniyi said. ...

By Maxwell Kumoye      At a time when Nigerian athletics is striving for global relevance, a wave of uninformed and, in many quarters, deliberate criticism is threatening to derail genuine progress being made by the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN). The decision to send a strong, well-structured delegation alongside Team Nigeria to the Lefika International Relay Championship in Gaborone, Botswana, a competition with direct qualification stakes for the World Relay Championships, has inexplicably come under fire from faceless critics.  But stakeholders within the athletics community are not mincing words: this is not just misguided criticism; it is a dangerous distraction. For context, the Lefika Relays is not a routine meet. It is the athletics equivalent of a World Cup qualifier in football.  No serious nation approaches such a high-stakes competition casually.  The question then is simple: would the...

...NSC Earns Plaudits   By Maxwell Kumoye       Nigeria’s women’s 3x3 wheelchair basketball team delivered a moment of pure sporting history on Thursday, powering their way to qualification for the 2026 Commonwealth Games with a commanding 8-3 victory over South Africa in the final. In a performance defined by grit, discipline, and tactical brilliance, the Nigerian side proved unstoppable, becoming the first team from the country to secure a Commonwealth Games ticket in the event.  Earlier, they had brushed aside Kenya 6-2 in the semifinals, sending a clear warning of their intent. While the athletes rightly take center stage, this triumph also shines a bright light on the proactive leadership of the National Sports Commission, whose timely support and strategic backing have been pivotal to the team’s success.  At a time when para-sports often battle for recognition, the Commission’s intervention has not only empowered these athletes but po...

By Maxwell Kumoye        Egyptian giants Zamalek SC have been handed yet another transfer setback after FIFA imposed a three-window transfer ban on the club, marking the 14th sanction against them this season. The latest disciplinary action stems from unpaid dues owed to Tunisian winger Ahmed Jafeli.  The 22-year-old joined Zamalek from US Monastir in the winter of 2025 but struggled to secure a regular place in the squad. Jafeli was subsequently loaned out to Saudi side Abha Club later that summer, before returning to Cairo six months afterward.  However, unresolved financial obligations related to his transfer have now triggered FIFA’s latest sanctions. Zamalek’s financial instability has been a recurring issue in recent years, with the club repeatedly penalized over unpaid debts and contractual disputes.  The latest ruling adds further pressure on the Cairo-based side, who must now resolve all outstanding cases before the end of May. Fai...

The state's building sector is set to fall more than 19,000 skilled workers short each year as demand surges ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympic Games. Analysis from Construction Skills Queensland forecasts the shortfall will peak at 35,000 workers in 2027–28, when labour demand is expected to rise by 17% as building activity reaches its high point. CSQ chief executive Kim Hetherington said population growth, the energy transition and Games-related infrastructure were all intensifying pressure on the industry. Governments have committed AUS $7.1 billion (€4.4bn) towards Games infrastructure, including a 63,000-seat stadium at Victoria Park, but CSQ estimates total construction tied to the event will reach $11.2bn (€6.9bn) once athletes' villages and precinct works are included. Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has previously said the $7.1 billion (€4.3bn) allocation does not cover transport infrastructure, precincts or athlete villages. Hetherington warn...

The Future of Sport in Canada Commission released its final report on Tuesday after two years of analysis, concluding that the country's system is unsafe, fragmented, and underfunded, and proposing nearly 100 urgent measures to transform it. The document sets out a far-reaching reconfiguration of the current model, with strengthened federal leadership, new governance structures and unified athlete protection mechanisms, in response to years of complaints and systemic failures. The report, the result of consultations with more than 1,000 people, including 175 survivors of abuse and mistreatment, describes a landscape in which the problems are not isolated, but structural. The commission warns that the system is fragmented and lacks effective oversight, which has allowed abusive situations to persist at different levels of sport. According to the body itself, the mistreatment is 'widespread, systemic, and ongoing', and has been enabled by power imbalances and a cu...

The Delhi High Court confirmed on Monday that the Indian Olympic Association cannot intervene in or replace the governing bodies of independent sports entities, and struck down its order creating a provisional committee to run Ski and Snowboard India The ruling reinforces the approach adopted at first instance and clearly defines the IOA's legal reach in relation to organisations which, although linked to the national sporting ecosystem, do not form part of the state regulatory framework as recognised federations. The appeal bench rejected the body's arguments and held that the entity concerned, Ski and Snowboard India, operates as an autonomous society under the law of Karnataka, meaning that its internal affairs cannot be unilaterally taken over. The dispute originated in an order issued on 13 October 2023 by the IOA presidency, through which an ad hoc committee was appointed with powers to run the federation, select athletes and organise elections. That decision ...

The seven‑time Commonwealth Games gold medallist returned to her childhood pool in Launceston, igniting local excitement and inspiring young swimmers as the King's Baton reached the end of its Australian journey en route to Glasgow 2026. Ariarne Titmus' visit to the Launceston Leisure and Aquatic Centre, the same pool where she first learned to swim, was a celebration of community pride and grassroots sport. The centre, adorned with a mural honouring her achievements, provided the backdrop for aspiring athletes to connect with one of Australia's most successful swimmers. "The response from the community has just been overwhelming," said a local coach who helped mentor Titmus in her early years. "Seeing Ariarne back here, being so genuine and present with the kids, that's the stuff that builds lifelong passion." The champion also visited Sacred Heart Primary School, where an assembly of enthusiastic students greeted her with cheers and app...