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Siasia’s Claim Of Being Abandoned Untrue and Deceitful; FG, Governors Raised Money For Him To Fight FIFA Ban — Sunday Dare

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Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, Tuesday, insisted that his ministry did not abandon former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia as being claimed by the former striker.

Siasia had claimed that he was abandoned by Dare and the ministry after his FIFA ban for alleged match-fixing.

John Joshua-Akanji, Special Adviser (Media) to the minister said in a statement in Abuja that contrary to insinuations by Siasia that he was abandoned, the minister actually raised money for him.

He added that the Minister responded positively by taking the matter of his plight to the attention of individuals and organizations to intervene.

“The ministry, through the Minister, was able to raise the money which Siasia personally collected while he was also connected to persons and entities who raised money to assist him in appealing his case at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

“In response to a concerted appeal launched by the Minister, the Governors of Lagos, Edo and Delta made available money which was handed over to Siasia at different times.

“A couple of individuals, at the instance of the Minister, also raised money which was handed to him in cash,” Joshua-Akanji said.

He said the minister also rallied around to ensure Siasia was given a fair hearing.

“The Minister stayed on top of the case by pulling all strings to assist Siasia.

“In addition to the governors of Edo, Delta, and Lagos, he (Dare) made an appeal to Gov. Kayode Fayemi who is the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and Ekiti State Governor.

“In another instance, the Minister took Siasia on a visit to the then Bayelsa Governor, Seriake Dickson, to appeal for support for him.

“Siasia’s claim that government did nothing to assist him is untrue, deceitful, and misleading.

“While there are no budgetary provisions for such incidents, the Ministry and the Office of the Minister gave Siasia all the support that led to the mitigation of his life ban from football-related activities,” Joshua-Akanji added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Siasia had recently claimed that he did not get the necessary support from certain groups, except a few friends and governors.

He listed these groups as the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), and other stakeholders.

CAS recently upturned Siasia’s life ban by FIFA to five years, after he filed an appeal at the global sports court.

(NAN)

BIG STORY

Anthony Joshua Names Tyson Fury His 2025 Target

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Anthony Joshua says his goal for 2025 is to finally face Tyson Fury in the ring for their long-awaited all-British heavyweight boxing match.

Joshua shared his thoughts on Wednesday during a conversation with journalists after meeting President Bola Tinubu in Lagos.

The 35-year-old Nigerian-British boxer and Fury have been long-time rivals. A fight between them has been scheduled twice, but both times the plans fell through.

Joshua expressed that his aim for the new year is to eventually face his arch-rival. He also added that he is eager to capture the world heavyweight boxing title for a third time.

“2024, when I look back, I believe I could have done more. 2025, I want to do more and will ensure I use every opportunity,” he said.

“I should have won [against Dubois] but did not. Ups and downs do happen. My life is up and down. So, I get used to the turbulent times and keep riding the wave. I cannot stop there.

“My target for 2025 is Tyson Fury.”

Joshua and Fury are currently without titles. Both lost their belts to Oleksandr Usyk over the past two years.

Usyk defeated Joshua in 2021 and 2022 to claim the WBA, IBF, and WBO titles, and the Ukrainian also triumphed over Fury twice in 2024 to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the world in 25 years.

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BIG STORY

CAF 2024 Awards: Nigeria’s ‘Super Falcons’ Wins National Team Of The Year (Female Category)

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The Nigerian women’s national football team, Super Falcons, were named “National Team of the Year” at the CAF Awards 2024.

This achievement, revealed on Monday by the Confederation of African Football during the presentation ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco, further solidifies their dominance and excellence in African football.

This esteemed recognition underscores the team’s exceptional performances and significant contributions over the past year, as they continued to represent Nigeria at the pinnacle of women’s football in Africa.

The CAF Awards annually honor the best in African football, celebrating teams, players, and coaches who have excelled in their respective fields.

The Nigerian women’s team has consistently demonstrated resilience, skill, and determination on the international stage, earning the admiration of fans and experts alike.

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BIG STORY

Four Years Ago I Failed In Front Of The World, Fast Forward, I’m The Best Player In Africa — Ademola Lookman

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Ademola Lookman, Super Eagles winger, says his success as the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year came after he “failed in front of the world” four years prior.

Lookman spoke after receiving the award as the best African male footballer of 2024 in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday.

The 27-year-old finished ahead of Achraf Hakimi, Simon Adingra, Ronwen Williams, and Serhou Guirassy to win the coveted individual prize for male African footballers.

He followed in the footsteps of Victor Osimhen, who won the award in 2023.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lookman referenced his failure to convert a penalty for Everton in November 2020.

Lookman had the opportunity to earn a point for Fulham in their English Premier League (EPL) match against West Ham United. Instead, he failed to execute a Panenka penalty kick that was easily saved by Lukasz Fabianski as West Ham won 1-0.

The penalty attempt earned him mockery on social media, and Scott Parker, Fulham’s manager, criticized the player publicly.

“Just over four years ago I failed in front of the world. Fast forward four years, I’m the best player in Africa,” Lookman said after receiving the award.

“I want to say to the young children and people watching this: don’t let your failures weigh you down that they break your wings. Matter of fact, turn your pain into your power and continue to fight.

“Firstly, I want to thank the Almighty God for everything he has been doing in my life, and everything he has been blessing me with.

“I want to thank the president, I want to thank all my teammates—club and country. I want to thank them for all their support and love that they gave me.”

“This award today is a blessing to me, to my family, to my nation, and to be recognized as the best player in Africa. It’s something incredible and I’m extremely proud of.”

Lookman left Fulham after that season for RB Salzburg in Germany, where he continued to flap his wings before taking flight following his move to Atalanta in the summer of 2022.

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