Sports
2010 W/Cup: S/A Seeks Ways To End Strike
South African trade unions say they will consult their members over the latest offer to end a dispute which has halted work at 2010 World Cup stadiums.
The strike is still on, even though employers say that a framework agreement has been reached after lengthy talks.
About 70,000 miners embarked on a strike last Wednesday, demanding a 13% pay rise.
Tidesports source in Johannesburg says a decision is expected this week.
There are fears that the strike, called by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which includes construction workers, could delay the completion of Gauteng’s new high speed rail, Guatrain, which is being built specifically for the World Cup.
It was due to be completed just two weeks before the first game in June 2010.
The stadiums are due to be completed by December and before the strike, work was on schedule.
Five new stadiums are being built and five existing ones upgraded.
It is not clear what the framework agreement entails, but employers had been offering a 10% rise, against the 13% demanded by the unions.
Vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, foremost Sports Marketer and founder of Okpekpe Road Race, Mike Itemuagbor and top Sports Journalist and Media Strategist, Mitchel Obi have lent their voices in support of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF).
The personalities with backgrounds in sports administration, marketing and media spoke separately in commendation of the festival, an initiative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with Dunamis Icon as consultants.
“This is a positive addition to the evolving sports business ecosystem because it is not just a springboard for identifying talents, it also offers a platform to truly hone the skills of those already discovered”, remarked Obi, who served as Special Advisor to a former Sports Minister, late Anthony Ikhazabor.
He said the festival will be a flagship event in the region that would trigger interest in sports among the youths and people of the region.
Edo State-born Itemuagbor commended the NDDC for the decision to add sports in the list of their intervention projects in the region, adding that: “This speaks directly to the problem of youth restiveness which is of great concern to our people.”
Raphael Onyedika has now emerged as a major doubt for the Super Eagles’ must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
The midfielder was forced out early from last week’s league game against Standard Liege.
He has not recovered from the injury and so will miss today’s league match against Gent and may also miss a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Aston Villa yesterday.
The Super Eagles take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, before they face Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later in crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Al-Khalood defender, William Troost-Ekong, has shared his experience on the difficulties of winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) while describing it a must win trophy.
The former Watford FC defender has competed in the tournament three times but has yet to lift the trophy.
“I’ve been there three times now, bronze medal, silver medal, but I haven’t had the chance to win it. That remains my ultimate goal,” he told Tidesports source.
“It means so much to me and all the kids growing up in Africa and Nigeria.”