Super Eagles, others to get 24-hour security at AFCON 2013

Sotyu  courtesy www.defenceweb.co.za

Police in South Africa has revealed that it will provide 24-hour security for members of the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the fifteen other teams that will participate in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Speaking on Tuesday, Police Deputy Minister Makhotso Sotyu and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) said in a statement that “We have specialised police officers to handle any eventuality that may arise.”

They disclosed that security measures prepared for the continental football tourney includes placing security at all entry points, escorting players to training sites, hotels and to the stadium and providing police presence at hotels.

“Based on our experience of having hosted over 400 international events, we are confident that the tournament will be safe and secure,” Sotyu said.

We gathered that South Africa’s National Joint Intelligence and Operations Structure (Natjoints) and the LOC have been taking measures to address some of the issues encountered during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Some of these include dealing with strikes and intrusions in dressing rooms at Cape Town Stadium. South African authorities say that steps have also been taken to combat hooliganism and human trafficking during the tournament.

“As part of our security plan, we will be deploying what we term 'spotters' around all the stadiums to identify any act of hooliganism and perpetrators will be removed and arrested on the spot,” said a South African official.

Flying Eagles to play in 12-nation tourney in France

As Eaglets departs for Mali

Golden Eaglets coach, Manu Garba

National U20 male football squad, Flying Eagles will be playing in 2013 edition of the Toulon International Tournament in France.

Our correspondent gathered that the championship, hosted by France in the historic city of Toulon will feature 12 countries from five confederations (CAF, AFC, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF and UEFA). Taking part in the event next year are Argentina, Australia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Cameroun, Wales, Turkey, United States, Brazil, England and hosts France.

The tourney that is in its 41st edition will take place between May 29 and June 7, 2013 is played with 40-minutes halves and is not under any association’s control. The current holder of the title is Mexico which defeated Turkey 3-0 in the final earlier this year.

The most successful team in the tourney is France which has won the title 11 times. Cote d’Ivoire is the only African country to have ever won the title. This it did in 2010.

Meanwhile, the national U16 squad, Golden Eaglets will head for Bamako, Mali on Wednesday in readiness for the weekend clash against the Junior Eagles of Mali.

According to coach of the team, Manu Garba, who confirmed the team’s movement, his wards have what it takes to defeat the Malians and pick the ticket to the 2013 Africa U17 Championship in Morocco. He assured that the sizes of the Malians would not stop the Nigerian lads.

“God willing, we are leaving for Mali on Wednesday and we have prepared well. If for ill-luck, we would have score more against them in Calabar. But we did not see them before we played them. Now that we have, we know how to play them in Bamako,” he said.

In the same vein, indications have emerged that the NFF may not have officially complained to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) about the ages of the Malians. A source noted that the NFF appears not to have any official document to show for filing the protest as it said some days ago.

Samuel Peter, Oleg Maskev to get rematch on December 17

Peter (right) punches Maskaev during the fight

If things go as planned, Nigerian boxer, Samuel Peter will make his much awaited comeback against Russia’s Oleg Maskev in a rematch of the bout between the two pugilists some years back in which Peter won the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight title.

After the terms of the fight are agreed on by the Maskaev camp, a much revitalized Peter will step into the ring with the Eastern European as early as on Monday, December 17 in Moscow, Russia.  

The camp of Maskaev (36-7, 27KOs) is also eyeing a fight against Monte Barrett (35-10-2, 20Kos should the deal with Peter (34-5, 27KOs) fall out.

Russian promoter Vladimir Hyrunov noted that Maskaev, who has been inactive for over three years, would be part of the card that features WBA cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev fighting Colombian Santander Silgado.

Maskaev is still expected to fight on a December 30th card, also in Russia. "We are negotiating with Dennis Rappaport, the manager of Oleg Maskaev. We are discussing a possible fight between Maskaev and Sam Peter or Monte Barrett in Moscow," Hyrunov said.

Manchester United coaches salute Glo Soccer Academy

Speaking with media men on Sunday, the coaches who arrived in Nigeria on Saturday; saluted the organizers of the soccer reality TV show as being in line with what obtains in great parts of Europe where football development is at its best.  

Manchester United youth team coaches; Andrew Smith and Adam Temple have praised the Glo Soccer Academy programme for its innovativeness and its capacity to develop the game in the country and the West Africa subregion.

The coaches that are already at the Glo Academy camp located at the Peninsula Resort in Ajah, Lagos thumbed up the facility as being classy enough to enhance the players’ performances.

“The environment the player is in is important to his development. His psyche has great importance on the way he plays. The environment that has been created here by Glo is impressive. We are glad to be associated with this programme,” Smith said.  

The coaches noted that they would be working with the players to help them boost their performances in the coming days. “We are looking at translating the atmosphere at Manchester United to the boys in the Academy,” Temple said.

He added that the academy could indeed improve the lot of African players on the international scene.

“I think Africa is on the right track. The key thing with development programmes like this is to have the right people in place. And I believe that is what has been done here,” he said.

Ex-Ghanaian international, Tony Baffoe and former Super Eagles star Victor Ikpeba agree. According to Baffoe, it is not only a good atmosphere that has been provided, but also good educational incentive. To Baffoe, education is an important element in the development of players.

“One key aspect (of football development) is education. Players have in the past signed contracts they could not even read. These kids are still minors and cannot sign contracts yet. Only coaches like us and their parents can do so for them. We are therefore here to, apart from coaching them ensure that they make the right professional decisions,” Baffoe said.

Ikpeba concurs. “The basic thing is for them to learn and we will provide the atmosphere for that,” the former Monaco player said.

The boys themselves are happy for the opportunity to not only win money but also be trained by some of the best players in the world and coaches from one of the best football clubs in the world.

Adamu Aliu, 16, of Lagos and Okpoku Mensah, 14 of Ghana both expressed their excitement at being part of the programme and praised Glo for the initiative.

EKO 2012: Torch of Unity arrives in Lagos

Lagos State governor, Babatunde Rajio Fashola (right) receives the torch at the Governor's House on Saturday

The Torch of Unity of the National Sports Festival arrived in Lagos from Abuja on Saturday. 

The Torch arrived on a speedboat at the CMS Jetty on Lagos Island into the welcoming hands of members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), some Team Lagos athletes and a band. 

The group filed from the jetty to the Governor's House where the torch was presented to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola and his deputy Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

Also present at the handing over ceremony of the torch were Commissioner for sports Wahid Enitan Oshodi and Scribe of the LOC, Kweku Tandoh. 

The procession then moved on for a tour of other parts of Lagos Island. But on Sunday, the torch will head to Epe and then to Badagry. 

On Monday, it will head to Ikorodu before making its final journey to Surulere where it would rest at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, the main venue of the Games which begins with an opening ceremony on Tuesday, November 27.

Ghana's Korblah wins at Abuja Glo Golf Tour

Emos Korblah poses with his top prize for winning the Abuja leg of the Glo Golf Tour on Friday

Top-most Ghanaian golfer, Emos Korblah, on Friday got a fantastic birthday present as he held his nerve on the final day of play to finish off his impressive games on the second and third days to emerge champion of the Abuja leg of the Glo Golf Tour. 

Born on November 23, 1963, Korblah celebrated his 49th birthday the same day he won the prestigious prize. He was closely followed by his country man, Vincent Torgah, who won the first leg of the tour in Asaba and Andrew Oche Odoh, who won in Sagamu. Korblah, after a stuttering start on Day 1 when he finished 6th at 75 points, quickly rallied to lead the table on Day 2 with 2 under par at 70 points and maintained the lead on Day 3 with 72 points, bringing his three-day score to 217.

He finished off on Day 4 with 71 points to make a total of 288 points, leaving Torgah, in second place with 292 points. Torgah had hit 73 points on the final day of play. Odoh on his part finished with 293 points.

Korblah, who boasted to newsmen before the start of play last Tuesday that he had his eyes “firmly set on the title”, thus won Globacom’s N2.025m prize money at stake for the Number 1 spot in Abuja. Torgah went home with N1.125m for the second place winner, while Odoh went home with a N900,000 cheque. A total of N15m was at stake at the Abuja leg of the tour.

Speaking to newsmen after he received his prize, highly elated Korblah said he was delighted to have realized his dream. “I want to first thank God for adding a year to my life, and then for this fantastic victory. Like I said from the beginning, I came here to enjoy myself with an eye on the title. I saw the victory coming; in Asaba I was second, in Sagamu I was 3rd, so I knew then that it was coming and this would be my week. It was not easy playing against such fantastic golfers from all over West Africa, especially Torgah and Oche. They pushed me to improve my game. I am glad everything worked out well for me eventually,” he said smiling. 

“I want to use this opportunity to thank Globacom for bringing this tournament and motivating everybody with such huge prize money,” Korblah said. He added that he would try to win the grand finale at the Oturkpo Golf and Country Club.

On his strategy, he said: “My putting was not good, but I made sure that my drive was very good.”

The Glo Golf Tour West Africa, which teed off in Asaba on November 8, 2012 and swung through Sagamu and Abuja, will climax at the Oturkpo Golf and Country Club, Oturkpo, Benue State, from December 6 to 9 2012. 

Bolt, Felix named 2012 World Athletes of the Year

Usain Bolt

Allyson Felix

Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt and United State of America's Allyson Felix have been named the Male and Female World Athletes of the Year for 2012. 

Bolt, who won the award for the fourth time, and Felix, a first-time winner, received their trophies and US$100,000 prize at the Athletes of the Year Awards Ceremony in the Grand Ballroom of the Pullman Skipper Hotel, ahead of Saturday evening’s IAAF Centenary Gala Show in the MNAC Museum.

The awards were hosted by International Athletic Foundation (IAF) Honorary President HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and IAF & IAAF President Lamine Diack, who presented the trophies to the Female and Male winners respectively.

Usain Bolt, 26, the World Athlete of the Year in 2008, 2009 and 2011, successfully defended both his 100m and 200m titles at the Olympic Games in London, clocking 9.63 and 19.32 respectively, both the fastest times in the World this year.

He concluded his Olympic appearance by anchoring a Jamaican quartet to a 36.84 World record in the 4x100m Relay. He won six out of seven competitions in the 100m, and three of four in the 200m. Allyson Felix, 27, following World 200m titles in 2005, 2007 and 2009, won the Olympic 200m title in London and was part of the gold medal-winning 4x100m and 4x400m Relay teams to become the first woman since 1988 to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games.

The victorious 4x100m Relay quartet in London clocked a 40.82 World record. Her 21.69 victory in the 200m at the U.S. Olympic Trials was the fastest in the world this year and made Felix the fourth fastest woman in history.

Other winners include Kenya's David Rudisha that picked the male performance of the year award for his 1:40.91 800m World record at the Olympic Games in London. USA's Olympic 4x100m Relay picked up the female version of the award for its 40.82 World record at the Olympic Games in London.

Eaglets relocates to Abuja ahead Mali clash

The Golden Eaglets will on Sunday relocate to Abuja from Calabar to fine-tune its preparations for the second leg of the 2013 African U-17 final round qualifier against Mali.

With confirmation that the match would hold on a synthetic pitch, the coaching crew sought the approval of Nigeria Football Federation to conclude the team's final preparations in Abuja.

Coach Manu Garba said it was imperative to expose the players to the likely condition in Bamako so that the host would not have an undue advantage over the Nigerian youngsters.

“Our training in Calabar in the last one week has been very good but we need to familiarize the players with the artificial surface ahead of the game in Bamako,"Garba said.

"Playing on synthetic surface is not a new thing to most of the players and we are confident they would cope well."

Coach Garba has also assured that Nigeria's name would be in the pot when the Confederation of African Football holds the draws for the 2013 Orange CAF U-17 African Championship on December 9 at the CAF headquarters in Cairo.

“By the grace of God, we shall be at both the African tournament and World Cup as a result we are leaving no stone unturned to ensure our qualification," Garba noted.

Meanwhile, President of the NFF, Aminu Maigari has again hailed the impact of the government and people of Cross River State towards the success of the Golden Eaglets' campaign.

“The NFF cannot be tired of singing the praises of Governor Liyel Imoke and people of Cross River State," Maigari explained."

Without the support of Cross River State, it would have been hard to take the Golden Eaglets to this level and we pray all the efforts would not be in vain."

Policewoman wins Glo Golf Tour Amateur prize in Abuja

It was double honours for top amateur female golfer, Rachael Danjuma, a Warrant Sergeant with the Nigeria Police Force, as she clinched both the Ladies’ top prize and the Longest Drive in the Amateur category at the Abuja edition of the on-going Glo Golf Tour.

Playing off Handicap 9, Danjuma finished with a stableford score of 32 to win the ladies’ category crown. She also won the Longest Drive prize among Ladies at Hole 10 with a 208.5m shot.

Yaduma Aphia was the first runner up in the ladies’ competition, recording a stableford score of 31 with handicap 18.

Globacom on Wednesday evening presented Danjuma, Aphia and other amateurs who won in the tournament with their prizes at a ceremony held at the IBB Golf and Country Club, Abuja.

Attended by Chairman Board of Trustees of the Club, General Domkat Bali, and other members of the Board including General IBM Haruna and Senator John Shagaya, the presentation was a spectacular event interspersed with music and comedy and proved a most befitting way for both the pros and amateurs to relax after the day’s play.

In the men’s category, Sunny Gberevbie emerged winner in Division 1 handicap 6-15, putting a stablepoint score of 39 with handicap 15. In the second place was Chinaka Clement with handicap 14. He finished with stablepoint score of 38. Samuel Galadima was 2nd runner-up with handicap 7, finishing with stablepoint score 37.

For the men’s Division 2 (Handicap 16-28), Ade Young with handicap 16, won with a stablepoint score of 35, while K.K. Yusuf with handicap 19 eased into second place with 35 points. 2nd runner-up was Enebong A with handicap 17. He finished on 34 stablepoint score.

There were also auxiliary prizes for Nearest To The Pin, Ladies won by another police sergeant Wilfred Amina at Hole 8 (5.69ft), Nearest To The Pin, Men won by Tunde Ogunleye at Hole 8 with 1.14ft as well as Longest Drive, Men which went to Temitope Odihili on Hole 10 with 259.1m.

The winner of the Abuja edition of the Glo Golf Tour West Africa 2012 will emerge at the end of the fourth day which is Friday.

The grand finale of the Glo Golf Tour will be held in Oturkpo Benue State from December 6 to 9. The Pro-Am purse for the tour is N62.5million, the biggest in Africa.