Sports
Okrika Hawks Win Jekiri’s Basketball Challenge In PH
The first edition of Tonye Jekiri’s PH City Basketball Challenge 2022, ended with an exceptional performance that saw Okrika Hawks run across DA-F Kings 80-76 to emerge winners of the five day tournament.
The finals witnessed huge crowd at the Basketball Court Niger/Bende Street in Port Harcourt township, on Sunday, as both teams displayed quality basketball and artistry.
Speaking shortly after the finals, the founder of DA-F basketball programme, coach Fubara Oyanabo, described the tournament as one of the best tournaments held in Port Harcourt.
He said the quality of play in the challenge was quite impressive and encouraging, saying that Port Harcourt is the home of basketball in Nigeria.
According to him, the second edition will be better than this because there will be lots of improvement.
“ I feel very excited seeing the quality of play and players in the tournament. This has shown that Rivers State is the home of basketball in Nigeria.
I must say that the second edition will be better, because things will improve. It is not me that is giving back to the society, it is the kid (Tonye Jekiri) that grew up from Port Harcourt, he felt this is the time to give back to the society” coach Oyanabo said.
He explained that he discovered Jekiri on the 20th September 2009, then he was a footballer, saying that his height attracted him.
“ I know one day he is going to be a big player. He went to school in America in 2020 and presently he is playing for Unikazan in Russia,” he stated.
Also speaking, the father of Tonye Jekiri, Chief Frank Jekiri, advised the youths to be hard working, honest and obey their parents to become productive and good children to their parents and the society.
He confirmed that his son Tonye was a footballer before Coach Fubara Oyanabo discovered him because of his height.
“It is a good development that today he remembered to give back to the society, that means he is thanking God for what he has done for him.
There is a saying that “ if you know where you are coming from you will know where you are going to” Chief Jekiri said.
At the end of the event winners of the tournament, Okrika Hawks went home with N400,000, while the second position, DA-F Kings got N250, 000 and winners of the semifinals got N50,000.
Solomon Ezra took N15,000 home as the Most Valuable Player (male) while Sophia Edison got N10,000 as the Most Valuable Player (female).
By: Tonye Orabere
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.