Sports
FCA Backs Yusuf On Bribery Allegations
The Nigeria Football Coaches Association has pledged their support for embattled Super Eagles Assistant Coach, Salisu Yusuf, who insists that he is innocent of bribery allegations made against him.
This was after he was caught on camera taking cash from men posing as football agents in a “sting operation’’.
The Tidesports source reports that the footage was captured by controversial Ghanaian journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, in September 2017, and was broadcasted for the first time by BBC Africa Eye.
In the video, the chief coach of the Super Eagles, and first assistant during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, appeared to have received 1, 000 dollars (N360, 000) to select two players for the 2018 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) championship.
He was further promised 15 per cent by the men posing as football agents of the players once they are able to seal a deal abroad.
The association pledged their support in a statement by its Chairman, Ladan Bosso, who is also the head coach of the Nigeria Professional Football League Club, FC Ifeanyi Ubah.
According to the statement, the association said they did not believe the coach should be held liable for any wrongdoing, even though they respect the FIFA code of ethics.
“It is clear to the blind that the coach’s stand wasn’t distorted by the “triviality”of the pecuniary gift made to him.
“The players in question prior to the issuance of the gift had already made the team, and were in fact among the pillars of the team,” the statement said.
“We do not think that the integrity and reputation of football has been affected by this, though we shall investigate further as it dents the reputation of our association and members.
“Again, we think that the coach should be commended for stating clearly that players’ selection is based on performance.
“It makes no sense that our colleague, who earns over N3 million would stoop so low for pittance of 750 or 1000 dollars, which does not compare to the salary he earns. The trivial nature of what he received is the issue.”
Hon Dike who spoke with sports journalists shortly after the flag off the 2024 edition of Chairman’s Football Unity Tournament at Botem Tai in Tai LGA, said the tournament is an annual event to promote peace and unity in Tai as well identify budding talents in the area for global competition.
The opening ceremony of the tournament was more like a carnival was witnessed by huge crowd including prominent indigenes of Ogoni Kingdom, sports lovers and people from all works of life.
The LGA boss revealed that special sports committee will be setup in the area to work out modalities to strengthen sports development in Tai.
He advised the participants in the tournament from various wards in the LGA to play the game by the rules and conduct themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner and use the opportunity to showcase their talents.
Hon Dike further disclosed that his administration will also give priority attention to skills development among the youth to enhance their human capacity and promote enterprise development in the area.
Earlier in his address the Chairman of Tai LGA Football Council, Elder Wisdom Gorgor said the annual football competition has been a unifying factor in Tai LGA that need to be sustained to forge more unity and development in the area.
He urged the participants to see the competition as an opportunity to embrace football as a full career and earn sustainable livelihood.
Elder Gorgor who commended the Chairman of Tai LGA, Hon Dike for his visionary leadership and tremendous development achievements recorded in the LGA under his administration, appealled to the Chairman to build a Mini Sports Stadium in the area to promote sporting activities.
The training was held at the Sani Abacha Stadium Indoor Basketball Court in Kano last Saturday.
According to the Vice President and Head of NBA Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu, the event was part of the league’s commitment to growing broader basketball ecosystem in Nigeria and making the game more accessible across the country.
“Our first Jr. NBA clinic in Kano speaks to our commitment to growing the game in Nigeria and creating more opportunities for boys and girls to learn and play the game,” Abudu said.
“Nigeria has a rich basketball history and abundance of talent, which is evident every time you watch an NBA game. We look forward to continuing to engage with basketball stakeholders, business leaders and members of the community to further the game’s reach and impact on young people around the country,” she added.
The 2024 basketball initiative clinics of NBA Nigeria also included the league’s inaugural Jr. NBA elite camp for 150 boys and age-16 girls held at the American International School in Lagos in July.
Others include the NBA’s building of 1,000 courts in Africa over the next decade, Nigeria’s Festival Coins and Salubata named the top two winning businesses at NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator’s inaugural Demo Day in New York City held last September, and the third edition of “NBA Meets Art,” a curated installation celebrating basketball through the lens of Nigerian art and culture as part of West Africa’s premier art fair Art X Lagos, held in November.
Central to this vision is the federation’s investment in capacity building, evident in the just-concluded one-week Level 1 Badminton World Federation (BWF) Coaching Course, which marked a significant milestone for Nigerian badminton.
Held in Abuja, the course brought together 13 young coaches from across Nigeria. The last time such a course was held in the country was in 2017, making this a historic and transformative step.
The training was facilitated by the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) in partnership with the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) and conducted by Dr. Ahmed Radah, the BCA Development Manager.
Radah, impressed by the talent he witnessed, praised Nigeria’s potential.
“Nigeria is blessed with immense talent and a strong badminton tradition. I believe this country has what it takes to dominate on the global stage,” he remarked.