By Seyi Balogun, Lagos

Big Brother Naija winner, Ijeoma Otabor, aka Phyna, has celebrated the fourth anniversary of her reality TV success with another victory, making history as the winner of Nigeria’s first female celebrity boxing bout.

Phyna won the seventh season of Big Brother Naija,
Level Up, on October 2, 2022. Four years later, the reality star marked the anniversary with a boxing victory over Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing by knockout.

Reflecting on the two milestones in a post shared on Friday, Phyna wrote:

“October 2nd will forever be a special date in my life.

“Today marks the anniversary of the day I won BBN, and now, years later, I’m celebrating another historic victory becoming the first female boxer to step into this ring and win this fight. ”

The victory came during Balmoral Promotions’ Chaos in the Ring event at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Thursday.

The former reality star sees her transition from reality television to boxing as part of her determination to challenge herself and break barriers. She wrote:

“From reality TV to the boxing ring, I’ve always been willing to challenge myself, break barriers, and prove that there is so much more to Phyna than what people see.

“This one is for every woman who has ever been told she couldn’t. We can. We will. And we absolutely should.”

Phyna thanked Balmoral Promotions and Bet9ja for the opportunity, describing October 2 as “a date of victory, courage and new beginnings.”

She also received ₦50m as the winner of the historic bout and said she intends to pursue professional boxing, suggesting her victory over Nkechi could mark the start of a longer career in the sport.

Following the fight, Phyna named Nollywood actress Etinosa Idemudia as her next potential opponent, accusing her of disturbing her through direct messages.

“I came in, and I kept my cool and did the thing. Now I would like to fight Etinosa. I think it is time I teach her a lesson,” Phyna said after the bout.

Etinosa, who watched the fight from ringside, accepted the challenge, saying, “I have been advising you to carry the Edo name with pride. We do not run from any fight. I accept the challenge fully.”

Phyna’s victory came on the same night skit maker Carter Efe defeated musician Speed Darlington by technical knockout in their four-round celebrity bout.

By Son Tertsea, Abuja

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed a retired Nigerian elite football referee and diplomat, Mr. Robert Terlumun Akpenpuun, as the Assistant General Coordinator for the 2026 West African Football Union (WAFU) Zone B U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

The tournament which is scheduled to run from October 10 to 23, 2026, is aimed at bringing together the region’s top young football talents to compete for qualification to the U-17 AFCON.

Akpenpuun’s appointment by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) was confirmed in a letter of September 30, 2026, signed by the Executive Director of WAFU Zone B, Philip Tchere. It partly read:

“We have the pleasure to inform you that you have been designated as Assistant General Coordinator for the WAFU-B U-17 AFCON Qualifiers 2026, to be held from October 10th to 23rd in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.”

Akpenpuun, an Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, is a prominent figure in Nigerian football administration. He previously served as a protocol officer and a member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Protocol Committee. Since 2023, he has been deployed on a strategic foreign mission, serving as the Immigration Attaché at the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

This appointment marks another recognition of his extensive experience and ongoing contributions to football administration and competition organisation within the African football community.

In his role as Assistant General Coordinator, he will work closely with CAF and WAFU-B officials to ensure the seamless coordination and successful delivery of the qualifying tournament in Ouagadougou.

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.