Sports

Court Order Keeps US Athletes In Brazil

Published

9 years ago

August 19, 2016

A judge in Brazil has is
sued an order preventing US swimmers, Ryan Lochte and James Feigen from leaving the country after police queried their evidence in a robbery case.
Lochte, Feigen and two other members of the US swimming team said they had been robbed at gunpoint in a taxi in Rio.
But police say their account of when they arrived at the Olympic village does not square with CCTV recordings.
Lochte’s lawyer told journalists that he got back to the US two days ago.
“He arrived back before the judge issued anything,” said Jeffrey Ostrow.
“He was never asked to remain for further investigation or for any other purpose after he met with Brazilian authorities after he gave a statement.”
The swimmer’s Twitter account shows footage of him arriving back in the United States on Monday.
Lochte is one of the most successful swimmers in history, with 12 Olympic medals and he once had his own reality television show in the US.
In Rio, he swam in two events, winning gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay.
Feigen, who told the San Antonio Express he is still in Brazil, won gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
Accounts of what happened to the swimmers have been confusing from the beginning.
Lochte first told newsmen about it but International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams said reports of the robbery were “absolutely not true”.
The US Olympic Committee (USOC) later confirmed the swimmers’ accounts.
Lochte himself told police that he and team mates Feigen, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger had all attended a party in the French Olympic team’s hospitality house on Saturday evening.
He said that during their return drive to the Olympic village, their cab was stopped by men posing as police officers.
One of the men held a gun to his head, Lochte said, and robbed him of his money and personal belongings.
But police investigating the case say they have found no evidence of the robbery. They also point to “inconsistencies” in the swimmers’ accounts.
Lochte and Feigen told police they and their fellow swimmers had returned to the Olympic village at 04:00 local time (08:00 GMT).
But CCTV recordings appear to show the swimmers returning to the Olympic village at 07:00 local time.
Police say they have not been able to track down the driver who the swimmers said drove them back to the village.
They also said that Feigen and Lochte gave different accounts of how many men robbed them.
Investigators have requested a search warrant for the rooms the swimmers stayed in with a view to examining Feigen’s mobile phone.
The US Olympic Committee (USOC) confirmed that Brazilian police had sought the passports and further testimony from Lochte and Feigen.
In a statement the committee said: “The swim team moved out of the village after their competition ended, so we were not able to make the athletes available.”

City Crime

‘NFF Conducted Federation Cup Draw Fairly’

Published

1 week ago

April 21, 2025

The Tide

The Nigeria Football Federation has defended the recent quarter-finals draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup, saying it was conducted in line with best global practices.
A member of the NFF Executive Committee Board, George Aluo, stated that criticism over venues for the quarterfinals was unfortunate.
Going by the fixtures released on Saturday by the football body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin, Wikki Tourists will clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja, Akwa United and Kwara United will fight it out in Enugu, just as Area 3, Abuja, will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United. All matches are scheduled for May 3rd for the emergence of semifinalists in a leg affair.
However, there have been criticisms over the Ikorodu United vs Wikki Tourist tie billed for Abuja, with a section of the press saying the venue is skewed in favour of the Bauchi team.
Aluo, also the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), said: “Some of our media men need better education, and newsmen should not be like the fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-legged pairing that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home”.

Sports

Act Sports Signs New Teqball Specialist Contract In Nigeria

Published

1 week ago

April 21, 2025

The Tide

A new contract that will see Act Sports Di Oyibo Limited managing the career of Nigerian teqball specialist, Victor Oyemade, has been signed in Lagos.
The deal gives exclusive rights to Act Sports to manage, and exercise power of attorney over issues relating to the player’s welfare as it concerns his transactions, engagement for professional, promotional, sponsorships, endorsements, and exhibition purposes.
In signing the document, both parties also agreed that proper safeguards would be put in place to protect and promote the player’s interest at all times.
Director of Act Sports, Di Oyibo Limited, Pastor Samuel Robinson Oyibo, excited about the deal, said it would benefit both parties in the area of spreading the message of the sport, as well as laying a firm foundation for his new client’s future.
“Teqball is one of the world’s fastest-growing ball sports, and Victor Oyemade is the face of the sport here in Nigeria and Africa. That is why we are excited about this partnership that gives Act Sports official authorisation to manage his career, just as it will lay the foundation for its rapid growth in our country,” Pastor Oyibo said.
Oyemade was no less excited about the deal, saying it would help his growth in the sport.

Sports

Nigeria Name Handball Squads For Zonal Champs

Published

1 week ago

April 21, 2025

The Tide

Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, which will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, that commenced yesterday to end 24th of this month.
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, for close to two weeks and departed for the competition on Thursday.
Coach John Uzor of the national U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo make the cut, amongst other players.
In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely stuck with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside, her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters.
Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic, keep their places.
Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously at the U-18 level.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology, insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examinations.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release. It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission will work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”.