Sports
Parents Hail Sports Summer Camp In Lagos
The third phase of the Lagos Sports Summer Camp ended yesterday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium with parents relishing the experience enjoyed by their wards during seven days camping, which afforded them prospects of learning sports and skills of their choice.
The camp is a centre for children between ages nine and 14 to learn sports and other skills during the long vacation while still facing their education. It is organised by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s office and facilitated by the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC).
Tidesports source gathered that at the third phase in Surulere, sports learnt included taekwondo, table tennis, basketball among others and the skills taught were art and craft, tie and makeup, hairdressing, hat making, how to make power bank and power bank battery among others.
A parent, Mr. Kasumu Isiaka Oladipo, who spoke on the camp, thanked the governor for the initiative.
“I monitored live all the activities that took place at the summer camp on the Lagos State government’s website.
“There I watched how the children were taught how to make power bank among others skills and also the basics of martial art and some other sporting activities. I want to say that I am impressed with what I saw.
“I think the state has done well for this noble idea and I want to say thank you to Governor Sanwo-Olu for approving it. Also, I want to thank the Lagos State Sports Commission for their effort in making sure that it was well organised,” he said.
To another parent, Mrs. Omolara Ogunowo, she said she knows that the lives of some of the children, including her child, would never be the same again.
“I am very happy that my child was among the campers at this year’s Lagos Sports Summer Camp. By taking part in this summer camp, I am sure my son is going back home a very different person after what learnt here. And I also know that many of the children here would have learnt how to be self independent without their parents being around them,” Ogunowo said.
Some of the children at the Surulerecentre also shared their experience with Newsmen during the week, while also expressing their delights over what they were taught and the impact it will have on them.
To Jimoh Esther from lkorodu, she said the seven days camping afforded her to learn how to be self-independent. “I want to say that I have learnt a skill that will make me a self independent child with less dependence on my parents. I am happy that I have the opportunity to be among the participants at this very educative and informative gathering”.
An excited Salami Halima Ayomide from Ketu-Epe spoke on how she will be going home a very different person because of the skills she was taught in hat making and power bank.
“I would have missed what I have learnt here if not that I was here at the camp. I was also exposed to taekwondo, which has boosted my interest in sport now. For all of these, I want to say thank you to the Lagos State government for this opportunity.
Also one of the campers, Abang Henry Odey from Ajegunle said he enjoyed all the activities such as live skills, movie night and dancing competitions he was exposed to during the camping, saying, “I want to say I enjoyed every bit of the activities offered us at the Surulerecentre of the Lagos Sports Summer Camp in Teslim Balogun”.
Meanwhile on her role, one of the facilitators, Johanna Adeyileka, who spoke with the children on etiquette and morals, said the summer camp initiative was a noble one that will help mold the character of the children.
“What I discussed with the children where morals and etiquette and how to respect each other; being responsible for their own action and to respect themselves which is a very important aspect for them being in the society.
“We spoke about what they should and shouldn’t do. What etiquette is and not and the children responded so well. I also spoke to them about respecting one another, not being rude, to be clean and tidy and observe hygiene at all times,” she stated.
It will be recalled that the second edition of the Lagos Sports Summer began with the first phase in Badagry, while the second phase was held in Ikorodu before the third phase, which ended yesterday in Surulere at the TeslimBalogun Stadium.
All the end of three-phase camping, children were kitted, given certificate of participation, souvenirs and some other gift items.
The Kenya Football Federation (FKF) has launched an investigation into allegations that goalkeeper Patrick Matasi has been involved in match manipulation.
The 37-year-old, who plays for Kenyan Premier League club Kakamega Homeboyz, has won over 30 international caps.
His most recent appearance for the Harambee Stars came in October last year, in a qualifier for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
An undated video posted online appears to show Matasi agreeing a deal to influence the outcome of a league game.
“I have spoken to him. He was also shocked at what he was seeing in the video and he told me he doesn’t know about match-fixing,” Homeboyz owner Cleophas Shimanyula told Tidesports source .
The FKF said it would work with world governing body Fifa, the Confederation of African Football and other “relevant authorities” during its investigation.
“We reaffirm our zero-tolerance policy on match manipulation and are committed to safeguarding the credibility of our competitions,” a statement added.
“This investigation will adhere to FKF’s anti-match manipulation regulations and Fifa guidelines, ensuring a fair, transparent, and thorough process.
“The rights of the player and his club will be respected, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings.”
Shimanyula backed Matasi, pointing to the fact the veteran has kept three clean sheets in as many games since joining the club a month ago.
“When we watched this video, we found that Matasi has not wronged the club,” he said.
“In a video there can misinterpretations and false narratives and we cannot trust everything.
“He will keep playing for us because there’s no wrongdoing on his part as far as we are concerned – unless there’s evidence or the FKF writes to us to say they are suspecting the player of some wrongdoing.
“He is innocent until proven guilty and then we will act.”
The FKF has called on anyone with credible information to assist its investigation, with any reports to be handled with strict confidentiality.
Shimanyula also challenged the Kenyan footballing community to provide evidence against Matasi.
“Kakamega Homeboyz is against any form of match manipulation,” he said.
Uefa has opened an investigation into allegations of indecent conduct by four Real Madrid players during their Champions League last-16 win against Atletico Madrid.
Antonio Rudiger, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Dani Ceballos allegedly made gestures towards the home fans after Real Madrid beat their city rivals on penalties to book their place in the quarter-finals.
TV pictures showed German defender Rudiger appearing to make a throat-slitting motion, apparently towards the crowd after the shootout victory, while Mbappe was shown seemingly making a crotch-grabbing gesture.
Spanish media said Atletico reported the actions to Uefa last week.
The players could be at risk of suspension but there is no guarantee the case will be heard before their quarter-final with Arsenal. The first leg for that tie is at Emirates Stadium on 8 April and the return leg a week later.
In a statement, Uefa said: “[An] ethics and disciplinary inspector has been appointed to investigate allegations of indecent conduct” made by the four Real Madrid players.
“Further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course.”
The Premier League has announced it will have two transfer windows this summer to allow Manchester City and Chelsea to sign players before the Club World Cup.
The window will open between Sunday, 1 June and Tuesday, 10 June, then close for five days before running again from Monday, 16 June until Monday, 1 September.
This summer features the first expanded Fifa Club World Cup, which involves 32 teams and adopts the format of the regular World Cup of the past few years.
Chelsea and Manchester City are the Premier League teams in the tournament which takes place in the United States from Sunday, 15 June.
But the Premier League can only have 12 weeks of a summer window – hence the five-day break in order to run it until 1 September.
Fifa has allowed new players to be registered for the Club World Cup from 1-10 June, and again from 27 June-3 July for the knockout stage.
This is happening firstly, to bring order to the global registration system, world governing body Fifa only permits the transfer window in any individual country to be open for 16 weeks in any calendar year.
In Europe, precedent dictates four of those weeks are for the winter window, leaving 12 in the summer. In 2024, the Premier League transfer window opened on 14 June and closed on 30 August.