Sports
Benue paralympic team laments poor welfare, govt neglect
By Adams Oche
Benue State para athletes have decried lack of facilities and government neglect ahead of para-games.
Chairman of the association, Mr. Agada Austine, who disclosed this said the challenges are coming at a critical time when athletes are preparing for the para-games scheduled to hold in March.
They lamented absence of critical sports facilities, inadequate training equipment and prolonged neglect by the state government.
Agada maintained that the lack of basic infrastructure and motivation has greatly affected preparations and has equally compelled many talented athletes to leave the state for greener pastures.
He said, “We are preparing for the para-games coming up in March this year but there are numerous challenges that are confronting us like, the training facilities which need to be put in place, and shortage of training equipment.
“No tracks, as a thrower that I am, no facility for it, no kits. There should be closed camps for the athletes and most especially, monetary motivations which are the reasons Benue State is losing a lot of potential athletes to other states searching for greener pastures because there is no zeal to compete”.
Agada said representing Benue State remains a source of pride for members of the association, stressing that athletes are eager to compete for their home state if the challenges confronting them are addressed.
“We have worked so hard and are motivated by self passion. We started here in the state but because there is no motivation, some of us decided to compete for other states.
“It is pertinent to state here that, we members of this association have tried seeing the commissioner for sports a couple of times and have written letters for audience with him but surprisingly, no one has come to address us even as we speak, has not deemed it fit to address us, the athletes at the sports council and this is very wrong.
“As a youth and sports Commissioner, without sports that ministry will not be complete. We have written out request and documented it but no one to submit it to.”
He appealed to the state government to ensure timely approval and release of funds for sporting events, noting that delays have continued to embarrass the state at national competitions.
He cited the last National Sports Festival (NSF) in Abeokuta, where Benue’s contingent reportedly arrived late, resulting in only one athlete representing the state during the march past.
“When we returned from the last NSF in Abeokuta where we won medals, nothing was done about it up to appreciate us by the state even as we speak and this is enough to demoralize the spirit of the athletes who won medals for the state. At least, we should have been hosted, given awards and told well done for representing the state well in spite of the challenges that we faced, ranging from inadequate preparations due to lack of training pitches, financial backing and the late arrival to Abeokuta because it is not easy to leave your family behind to another state, for up to two weeks.”
Foreign
Spain’s Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Pioneers Egg-freezing and In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) for Female Soccer Players and Referees.
By Son Tertsegha, Abuja
Spain’s Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has introduced bearing the full costs for Egg-freezing and In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) for Female Soccer Players and Referees. The policy covers international players who have received at least two national team call-ups.
The programme runs through an official partnership with the Tambre fertility clinic and is secured through 2029.
Beyond egg vitrification, the agreement provides access to various family planning treatments and complements existing rules allowing players to have children nearby during training camps and tournaments.
The policy takes bearing from the advocacy efforts of star players like Alexia Putellas and Patri Guijarro who heavily campaigned for the initiative, noting that an elite athlete’s peak biological fertility years directly overlap with their peak professional playing years.
According to reports, the goal is to achieve Work-Life Balance designed to ensure that female athletes do not feel forced to choose between starting a family and pursuing a professional career at the highest level.
By Nick Ibe
Nigeria has agreed an $8.5m-a-year equipment deal that the Nigeria Football Federation says is the biggest in African football. The deal will also end its 11-year association with Nike and return to adidas.
Former NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau, who resigned along with the federation’s executive committee on Thursday, disclosed the agreement at a news conference in Abuja, saying adidas will pay the federation $4.5m annually in cash and provide another $4m worth of equipment for Nigeria’s national teams.
The NFF will also receive a 20 per cent royalty on merchandise sales, a clause that could push the value of the agreement well beyond the guaranteed $8.5m annual figure.
Gusau said the contract has already been signed, though it was originally scheduled to be announced in September. He said:
“It is about the highest kit sponsorship in Africa. No other country in Africa has that kind of sponsorship.
“Adidas will pay Nigeria $4.5 million every year in cash and then they will provide kit worth $4 million every year.”
The package becomes the largest kit-supply agreement for an African national football federation, if beating Morocco’s deal with Puma, reportedly valued at $1.7m, previously the highest publicly known figure on the continent.
Nigeria’s outgoing Nike contract signed since 2015, had become grossly inadequate for the federation’s needs argued Gusau:
“As (former) president, I cannot gift someone a jersey because we met a contract that has been running for 11 years on the same terms worth $500,000 in cash and $1 million in kit supply. $500,000 in 2015 and still $500,000 in 2026. It is like you have nothing.”
Nigeria was to first sign with Nike in April 2015 due to its earlier adidas deal being cancelled over breaches during the 2014 World Cup.
Gusau said the limitations of the Nike arrangement had proven so inadequate that the federation had resorted to buying additional kits for its teams, including Nigeria’s U-20 women’s team for the World Cup in Poland.
“We have to buy jerseys for the girls that travelled to Poland because $1 million worth of equipment cannot even service Super Eagles qualifiers for World Cup and Nations Cup as well as Super Falcons,” he said.
Due to the insufficiency, the federation began pushing Nike for improved terms in 2024 but could not reach an agreement, prompting it to solicit competing offers, with Nike retaining a contractual right to match the best proposal. Gusau added:
“Finally, they agreed that we could negotiate with others. At the end of the day we contacted adidas and other kit sponsors and we were able to secure a substantial agreement with adidas. Nike has to match whatever we were offered. They were unable to match the offer from adidas and that is why we are moving on.”
Adidas previously supplied Nigeria’s 1994 Africa Cup of Nations kits and its first World Cup appearance that same year, and again from 2004 to 2014, a period that included the Super Eagles’ 2013 Africa Cup of Nations title.
Nike’s return in 2015 produced some of Nigeria’s most recognisable kits, including the widely celebrated 2018 World Cup jersey.
Adidas has a larger retail footprint in Nigeria, with about 13 stores compared to Nike’s one, and it plans to expand to 32 stores within two years. This was another factor behind the switch.
Sports
2nd Enugu International Marathon Ends Great: State Guns for World Athletics Road Race Label for 2027 Edition
By Son Tertsegha
The 2nd edition of the Enugu international 42km elite races for men and women recorded resounding success Saturday.
Kenya’s Edwin Kipyego and Ethiopia’s Zenebe Aberu emerged winners of the men’s and women’s races respectively.
With more than 3,000 runners taking to the streets of Enugu city for the event, Enugu State Government, organisers of the event, in partnership with Nilayo Sports Management, and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) providing technical support, the future for subsequent editions looks good.
Kipyego produced a tactical performance to win the men’s race in 2:20:38, making his decisive move at the 37km mark to break away from a leading pack of four runners.
The Kenyan crossed the finish line first to claim the $15,000 prize, gold medal and title of Enugu City International Marathon champion.
Ethiopia’s Habtamu Girma finished second in 2:23:39, while compatriot Shiferaw Daltiemayu took third in 2:23:41.
The race was flagged off at 6:30am at Shoprite on Abakaliki Road by Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, with the route passing through Independence Layout, Okpara Avenue and Nike Lake Road before finishing at Mike Okpara Square.
Kipyego described the course as challenging but praised the support of spectators along the route.
“This was a tough but beautiful course. The hills tested us, but the people of Enugu carried us with their cheers. I will definitely return next year,” he said.
Nigerian runners dominated the 10km event, with Gyang James Boyi and Obadih Vivian winning the men’s and women’s races respectively.
Boyi clocked 29:59 to secure the ₦3 million first prize after making his decisive move with 3km remaining, while Vivian triumphed in 35:13.09.
Davwi Gyang and Mwantiyi Teyei finished second in the men’s and women’s races respectively, while Pam Joshua and Danjuma Agnes took third positions.
The 10km race, which was flagged off at 8:30am at Chris Tee Petrol Station on CIC Road, was designed to promote mass participation and identify emerging road-running talents.
Nilayo Sports Management chief executive officer Yetunde Olopade described the event as a world-class competition.
“Enugu has set the standard. From athlete welfare to security and crowd management, this marathon has shown that Nigeria can host international-label races,” she said.
Enugu State Deputy Governor Ifeanyi Ossai said the marathon was in line with the state’s sports tourism ambitions, adding that the event would continue to grow.
Commissioner for Sports Lloyd Ike Ekweremadu commended the Local Organising Committee, sponsors, medical teams and security agencies for ensuring a successful event.
He also disclosed that the state had applied for World Athletics Road Race Label status for the 2027 edition.
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