The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has approved the Sam Okwaraji Secondary Schools Soccer Championship across Nigeria.
The approval is sequel to the endorsement of the Senate Committee on Sports Developments led by Senator Abdul Ningi.
This initiative, which is billed to be an annual event, is an initiative of the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation to immortalise the late Nigerian international who slumped and died at National Stadium Surulere, Lagos in August 1989, during a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Angola.
Retired Great Hakuho Says Leaving Sumo After Bullying Scandal
Retired sumo great Hakuho said Monday he was quitting the ancient sport in Japan after his wrestling stable was closed because of a bullying scandal involving his protege.
“It has been 25 years of being loved by sumo and loving sumo,” the Mongolian-born Hakuho told reporters, confirming he was “leaving the Japan Sumo Association”.
“I have no regrets,” he said, adding that his family supported his decision.
Hakuho won a record 45 tournaments before retiring from competition in 2021 to coach wrestlers, but his stable was indefinitely shut in April last year.
The 40-year-old was handed an embarrassing demotion for failing to control the behaviour of his protege Hokuseiho, who allegedly punched his lower-ranked stablemates and stole money from them.
Sumo has been dogged by multiple scandals in the past including allegations of bullying, illegal betting and links to organised crime.
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Hakuho, who returned to Tokyo from Mongolia for the press conference, said he had “cried a lot”.
Having no clear indication of when the stable could resume operations was the main reason for his decision to walk away, he said.
Japanese media said last week that the sumo association, which declined to comment at the time, had accepted Hakuho’s resignation.
Hakuho said Monday he was “moving on to a new dream” and that in the future “I intend to focus on projects to expand sumo to the world”.
“I believe that… sumo can bring hope to resolve the discrimination, prejudice and roughness in the world today,” he said.
An adviser to the company Hakuho is setting up to promote sumo said that the new project called “World Sumo Grand Slam” targets amateur wrestlers.
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Hakuho was born Munkhbat Davaajargal and was the son of a champion Mongolian wrestler who won his country’s first Olympic medal at the 1968 Games.
Hakuho moved to Japan aged 15.
He was turned away by most stables because no one wanted someone “as pale and skinny as me”, according to his 2016 autobiography.
But he managed to persuade a trainer to take him on and made his sumo debut in 2001.
Hakuho won his first top-division title in 2006 and went on to fight at the sport’s highest rank of yokozuna more times than anyone in history.
He took Japanese citizenship in 2019, a requirement to run his own stable.
Chelsea Sign Mamadou Sarr From Strasbourg
Chelsea on Monday confirmed the signing of Mamadou Sarr from Ligue 1 side RC Strasbourg, with the defender signing a contract until 2033.
Sarr was a regular for Strasbourg during the 2024/25 campaign and played a key role in the French team securing qualification for European football next season.
The 19-year-old made 28 appearances across all competitions and helped the club seal a place in next season’s UEFA Conference League play-off.
READ ALSO: Inter Milan Hire Chivu As New Coach
The France Under-20 international joined Strasbourg last August and quickly established himself as a regular starter in defence.
Inter Milan Hire Chivu As New Coach
Inter Milan have chosen Cristian Chivu to lead the Serie A club into a new era, confirming the former Romania defender as Simone Inzaghi’s replacement ahead of the upcoming Club World Cup.
“Inter Milan is pleased to welcome Cristian Chivu as the new head coach of the first team. The coach has signed a contract with Inter until 30 June 2027,” Inter said in a statement.
Still reeling from humiliation at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, Inter have gambled on novice Chivu after failing to get Cesc Fabregas from Como.
Chivu has reportedly agreed a two-year contract with Inter worth 2.5 million euros ($2.85 million) a season, taking charge of one of Europe’s biggest clubs only a few months after beginning his senior coaching career with Parma.
Parma confirmed Chivu’s departure earlier on Monday, setting up his arrival at Inter where he won three Serie A titles and the 2010 Champions League as a player.
READ ALSO: Fan Dies After Falling From Stands At Nations League Final
The 44-year-old replaced Fabio Pechia in February and guided Parma to Serie A safety in his first job in football of any form since leaving Inter’s youth set-up last summer.
“I thank the club, staff, players and fans for having believed in me and our project,” said Chivu on Instagram.
“Together we overcame obstacles and wrote a page (in Parma’s history) which will remain in my heart.”
Chivu’s first match in charge of Inter will be against Monterrey in the Club World Cup next week, in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
He will lead a group of players who looked dead on their feet during their 5-0 hammering against PSG in the Champions League final late last month.
Inzaghi left Inter in the wake of the Italians’ thumping in Munich, taking the job at Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal who are also taking part in the Club World Cup.
Fan Dies After Falling From Stands At Nations League Final
A spectator was killed after falling from the stands at the Nations League final between Portugal and Spain in Munich on Sunday, UEFA confirmed to AFP subsidiary SID.
The fan fell from the central tier during the first period of extra time into the press box in the lower tier. Paramedics and police rushed to the scene to assist the fan.
A UEFA spokesperson said there had been a “medical emergency” and confirmed that a fan had “sadly” died during the match.
READ ALSO: Portugal Overcome Spain On Penalties To Clinch Second Nations League Title
Representatives from both sides expressed their sympathies after the match, won 5-3 by Portugal on penalties after the game finished 2-2.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente made a statement to express his condolences to the fan at the post-match press conference.
“I want to show my deepest condolences because a fan has died. It reminds us, of what is important in life.”
A representative of the Portuguese team made a similar statement of condolences, saying the death “casts a shadow on our victory today.”
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez echoed the sentiments, saying it was “extremely sad news.”
The supporter is estimated to have fallen around eight metres. How the fan fell or under what circumstances, is unclear.
Portugal Overcome Spain On Penalties To Clinch Second Nations League Title
Portugal beat long-time rivals Spain 5-3 on penalties to clinch their second UEFA Nations League title.
Portugal twice went behind in regulation time but twice fought back to level the scores.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the second equaliser, before being subbed off with cramp in extra time.
This was also Portugal’s manager, Roberto Martinez’s first international trophy.
The brilliant Nuno Mendes levelled things up five minutes later.
Mikel Oyarzabal, Spain’s goalscorer in the Euro 2024 final and the 2023 Nations League final, put La Roja back in front just before the break.
Cristiano Ronaldo, quiet as he had been before scoring the winner against Germany in the semis, equalised with 61 minutes gone, adjusting quickly after a Mendes cross was deflected into the air, muscling past Marc Cucurella and volleying the dropping ball home.
Ronaldo was subbed off before full-time with cramp. Even though Portugal had the better of extra time, the match went to penalties.
Both sides converted their first three spot kicks. Mendes buried Portugal’s fourth, before Morata stepped up and shot straight at Diogo Costa.
Neves nervelessly converted in front of the red and green of the Portugal fans. The victory was just Portugal’s second competitive win over Iberian rival Spain in their long history.
Portugal’s only other win over Spain in a competitive fixture was a 1-0 victory which booted the Spaniards out of Euro 2004, with a 19-year-old Ronaldo on the left wing.
Portugal became the first two-time winner of the Nations League, launched in 2018. It was Portugal’s third major title, along with Euro 2016.
– Portugal equalise twice –
While Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal’s fluid movement troubled the Portugese defence early in the match, La Roja’s opener was scrappy.
Yamal chipped from outside the box and the Portugal defence froze, botching a clearance which fell to Zubimendi, who leathered the ball into the net.
The goal was just rewards for Spain’s early dominance, but Portugal hit back almost immediately.
Mendes, put through by Pedro Neto, drilled a low shot across the goal and in.
Just before halftime, Spain picked Portugal’s pocket in their own half before advancing. Pedri linked with Oyarzabal, who threaded the ball past Diogo Costa.
Oyarzabal’s goal meant he has scored in three international finals — against England at Euro 2024, which Spain won, and the 2023 and 2025 Nations Leagues, which Spain lost.
Ronaldo had done little other than encourage the heavily Portuguese crowd until that point but would pick his moment to strike.
With 61 minutes gone, Mendes shed a defender and whipped in a cross. The ball took a deflection and Ronaldo outmuscled Cucurella before lashing a volley home.
The goal was Ronaldo’s fourth in 10 matches against Spain. The previous three all coming in a wild 3-3 draw at the 2018 World Cup.
Limping in the dying stages of regulation time, Ronaldo fell to the turf with three minutes left and signalled to the bench that his night was over.
Spain may have been confident when the match went to extra time, having won on penalties in 2023, but Portugal were faultless, Neves stepping up and converting to send his teammates, including a hobbled Ronaldo, streaming onto the pitch.
