Shooting Stars on Wednesday morning began preparations for the incoming season on a smooth note with Technical Adviser, Gbenga Ogunbote, taking charge.

With some of the retained players on ground, joined by some of the players invited for the pre season activities, “Oracle” as coach Ogunbote is popularly called, took time off to officially welcome the players and other officials to the first training session held at the training Pitch A of the Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu-Ode.

Addressing the players, the former Remo Stars sweat merchant, welcome them, particularly the new ones into the fold of the Oluyole Warriors, and urged them to get ready for the task ahead.While urging them to justify their presence in the team, the ex Sharks of Port Harcourt, Rangers International, Lobi Stars and Sunshine Stars Chief tactician, challenged them to exhibit high level professionalism on and off rhe field, reminding them of the huge expectations from the government and the good people of Oyo State, the club’s management as well as the teeming fans and supporters of the club across the globe.

Thereafter, the players settled down for the business of the day as the they were taken through series of sections by coach Ogunbote, and his assistants, coaches Abimbola Lawal, Abayomi Adigun as well as the goalkeeper’s coaches duo of Kola Ige and John Dosu.

Meanwhile, all things been equal, we are expected to make a trip down to Ikenne, to participate in the VALUEJET CUP 2022, a preseason tourney slated to hold at the Remo Stars Stadium between August 24th and September 3rd.

Fury has set a seven-day deadline for a unification fight with Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk.

According to promoter Frank Warren, a bout with Fury is “the only fight” Usyk wants, and Fury has given until September 1 for it to be arranged.

“For all these suitors out there that want to make the fight, I’m going to give you all seven days until September 1 to come up with the money,” he said on social media.

He added, ”If not, thank you very much. It’s been a blast. I’m retired. All offers submitted must be to my lawyer in writing with proof of funds. So, let the games begin.”

Usyk retained his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO belts after winning his rematch with Anthony Joshua on Saturday.

Fury, who retired after beating Dillian Whyte in April, holds the WBC belt. He had said he was walking away from boxing less than a fortnight ago.

In an interview, he said he would want £500 million ($590 million) to make the fight with Usyk  happen.

After the Ukrainian beat Joshua in Saudi Arabia at the weekend, Warren said, “The challenge is going to be meeting the financial expectations of both guys. It has to be much bigger than that (Usyk vs Joshua II) because you’ve got two undisputed fighters, and the first time the four belts have been on the line.”

Warren added, “It’s a unique situation, and what adds to it is that they are both undefeated, which is quite unusual.”

If the fight did happen, the winner would become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis from 1999 to 2000. It was only the sixth of all time and the first of the four-belt era following the rise of the WBO.

Aug 16, 2022; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Serena Willams (USA) follows through on a forehand in her match against Emma Raducanu (GBR) at the Western & Southern Open at the at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA

Serena Williams may have planned retirement her way but the American must be prepared to accept the goodbyes as well as the losses and exit the stage with grace, tennis great Martina Navratilova has told Reuters.

Williams signalled her intention to retire in a Vogue article in early August saying she was “evolving away from tennis” but never confirming the U.S. Open as her final event.

However, for Navratilova, like most of the tennis world, the message was clear — Flushing Meadows, where Williams won the first of her 23 Grand Slam titles in 1999, will be the place she takes her final bow.

Navratilova said she completely understood the emotions Williams was wrestling with as she approaches her final match having experienced many of them herself.

But having made her decision, Williams must be prepared to live with it and say goodbye even in the face of defeat.

“It’s hard,” said Navratilova, who is working with Sense Arena on a virtual reality tennis training product that provides players with enhanced visualisation.

Athletics icon Usain Bolt has moved to trademark a logo showing his signature victory celebration pose.

The retired Jamaican sprinter submitted an application in the US last week.

He is known globally for the move – in which he leans back and gestures to the sky – as he routinely struck the pose after winning gold medals and setting world records.

Mr Bolt still holds the world records for the 100m and 200m, making him the fastest man in history.

According to the US Patent and Trademark Officio Mr Bolt filed his application for the trademark on 17 August.

It depicts “The silhouette of a man in a distinctive pose, with one arm bent and pointing to the head, and the other arm raised and pointing upward”.

He intends to use the image on items including clothing, jewellery and shoes, as well as restaurants and sports bars, the filing shows.

“Given that Bolt is now retired from racing, it makes sense that he would look to expand his business empire,” Josh Gerben, a Washington DC-based trademark lawyer, told the BBC.

“The silhouette of his victory pose is recognised around the world. This trademark registration would enable him to offer the items listed in the application himself, or license the right to use the trademark to third parties,” Mr Gerben said.

Mr Bolt applied to register a similar trademark 12 years ago, but this has since lapsed under US law.

The eight-time Olympic gold medallist retired from athletics at the 2017 World Championships in London.

He could only manage bronze in his penultimate race – the men’s 100m – before pulling up injured just as he began to hit top speed at his final event, the 4x100m relay.

When asked if he would consider a return to racing, he replied: “I’ve seen too many people retire and come back just to make it worse or to shame themselves. I won’t be one of those people.”

Vlatko Andonovski, head coach of the US Women’s National Team, has named 23 players for the double-header friendlies between the Americans and the Super Falcons next month.

The US, four-time World Cup champions and four Olympic Games gold winners, play the nine-time African champions first at the Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas on September 3, before squaring off again at the Audi Field in Washington three days later.

The USWNT, who are the most successful team in the world, and the Falcons, the most successful team in Africa, have both qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The back-to-back World Cup champions qualified for the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympic Games by winning the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship last month, while the Falcons booked a place at the Mundial after reaching the last four of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco last month.

Ahead of the clash, Andonovski released the list with captain Megan Rapinoe and star forward Alex Morgan the two biggest stars invited for the game.

The list includes all the players – except Emily Sonnett, who is recovering from injury – that won the CONCACAF W Championship in July undefeated without conceding a goal.

Speaking on the list, the USWNT coach said, “All the players on the roster performed well in Mexico at qualifying and have carried that form for their clubs, so we’ll continue the process of growing as a team with this group in what will be two challenging games against Nigeria.

“Preparing for the World Cup is a long process, and I’ve been very happy with how our team understands that process, is willing to do the work and is making positive strides every camp to get us to where we want to be next summer.”

The Falcons will hope to end their six consecutive defeats to the US when they face-off next month.

The masterplan made some far-reaching recommendations on laws and statutes governing the administration of football in Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari has said football remains the number one sport in Nigeria and a national asset.

According to the president his administration will resist any attempt to undermine its development.

Mr Buhari stated this when he received the 10-year Football Development Masterplan submitted by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, on Tuesday in Abuja.

While describing football as “our passion and a major tool for unity,” the president affirmed, “It is the responsibility of the government to safeguard the sport, which has brought Nigeria many laurels and treat it as a national asset.

“Indeed, just as I expect and demand a higher standard of patriotism, responsibility, and commitment from those charged with the administration of our football.”

Mr Buhari also urged all concerned parties to work together constructively and patriotically.

“We have seen attempts to disrespect and undermine the institutions supervising our sports. We have seen attempts to subjugate national interest for narrow interest or disrespect the laws of Nigeria. Nigeria will not take lightly any attempt to inflict injury on its football fortunes,” he added.

The president used the occasion to spell out his expectations from the two-volume report.

He directed the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to commence its implementation in phases.

The president said this should be carried out within the fine lines of relevant sections of the Nigerian laws on sports development and the statutes of the world soccer governing body, FIFA.

“This government is interested in developing a football culture that will accommodate global best practices.

“This will also help the nation to lay a solid foundation for domestic football and to put in place professionally and efficiently run leagues.

It will also help in entrenching a consistent and stable football calendar and create a value chain which will boost the sports ecosystem,” Mr Buhari said.

He said that achieving this will guarantee desired progress in continental and international competitions. “I know that a lot of work went into putting this 10-Year Masterplan together.

“I received regular briefings on the work being done and I am happy that our goal has been achieved.”

President Buhari expressed delight that the Masterplan enjoyed the input of a wide range of stakeholders in football.

“I am equally happy that the Nigeria Football 10-Year Masterplan (2022-2032) identified 15 Key Areas of challenge.

“It has also provided practical recommendations to address these fundamental problems that have bedeviled football development in the country.

“The implementation of the short-term and medium-term plans should commence.

“I believe this will signal a positive turning point for our football and a major step forward in our bid to create a conducive environment for its sustainability, viability, and profitability.

“The Nigeria Football Federation, the body charged with the development of our football is directed to own and commence the implementation of this master plan under the supervision of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.”

The president, who reviewed the state of the game in the country, expressed concern that in the past years, football development had gradually stunted due to the neglect of the core orientation of football administration.

He described the governance structure around Nigeria’s domestic league as weak, adding that “standards are conveniently compromised.”

He, however, expressed delight that these issues and many more have been addressed in the Document.

The president, therefore, urged the NFF to salvage the domestic league at all levels, saying: “Nigeria’s football development must return to the path of focus on grassroots and youth development and an overall good governance structure around every level of its development. Nigeria now expects results,” he urged.

On the forthcoming NFF executive election, Mr Buhari reiterated his earlier communication to the body on the need for a more equitable and democratic representation in the Congress of the NFF.

According to him, this will ensure that critical stakeholders are not shut out and the most capable and competent men and women are elected to run the affairs of the Federation.

“This government has demonstrated political will. It will match it up with making the right laws and investments and working with critical stakeholders.

“I thank FIFA for its support and commitment to the development of Nigerian football which has been longstanding.

“I trust it will partner with Nigeria in its effort to improve the fundamentals of its football development,” he said.

In his remarks, the sports minister announced that the Buhari administration had disbursed over N15 billion to NFF through budgetary appropriations and Presidential interventions in the last seven years.

He commended the president for the attention given to football development in the country and for laying a solid foundation for the growth of the game.

The minister described the 10-year Masterplan, which took the Ibrahim Galadima -led 16-member Committee six months to prepare, as “a world-class document.”

He said the prescriptions set forth in the Football Masterplan if followed through with the needed will and determination, would set Nigeria’s football on a very sure footing and position it amongst the best in the world.

He added that the implementation of the Plan would resolve most issues around the status of the domestication of Nigerian laws, and NFF Statutes in line with FIFA Statutes, and create room for harmonious relationships in the football value chain of this country.

Mr Dare said: ”The Masterplan is envisioned to encapsulate functional strategies that would outlast the current administration and firmly place Nigerian football on the path to sustainable growth and development.

“Mr. President, with your approval, this document will be presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval and future funding.

“So that the implementation of the short, medium, and long-term plans can commence as part of the legacies of this administration.

“Thereafter, this document will be handed over to our football administrators, that is the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, who shall be expected to implement key elements of these reports in stages.”

Mr Dare pledged that the ministry would monitor the faithful implementation of the Masterplan.

This, according to him, will ensure that attention is paid to the business opportunities along the value chain, governance structure, standardisation, and prioritisation of the welfare of footballers, education, and awareness.

“Focus will be on building capacity for sustainable, strategic youth development programmes, efficient club administration, and positive stakeholder engagement.

“These would include Referees, Players Union, Coaches Associations, supporters, investors, local and international partnerships and collaborations,” he said.

Mr Dare also told the president that one of the most important aspects of the Committee’s work is the legal regime around football in Nigeria.

He added that the Masterplan made some far-reaching recommendations on laws and statutes governing the administration of football.

Mr Dare added that subject to the final decision of the NFF Congress, the Masterplan made recommendations for the expansion of the constituents for the NFF Elective Congress and Executive Board to 111 and 16 respectively, in order to meet new realities and needs.

Mr Galadima, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), noted that re-engineering the legal framework will put to rest the legality of NFF.

He said the Masterplan also recommended improving the tactical depth of coaches through utilising the core mandate of the National Institute of Sports and pragmatic sports programmes.

It also recommended regulating the operations of academies and grassroots-based programmes.

The Nigeria Football Federation on Wednesday explained that a number of factors, including the inability to secure transit visas for players and officials of the U20 Girls National Team, Falconets, at the Istanbul Airport, led to the team having to stay 24 hours at the airport in Turkey on their way from the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.

“The NFF did not book the team’s tickets from Costa Rica; FIFA did. FIFA also did not envisage the hitches that saw the team delayed for more than three hours in Bogota, and another one hour in Panama. By the time the team got to Istanbul, the flight to Abuja had left.

“Our officials pleaded for compassionate transit visas so as to take the players and officials to a hotel inside the town, but this was not possible as they were informed that Nigeria had been removed from the list of countries whose citizens were issued visa-on-arrival in Turkey. The airline then took the team to a sleeping area at the airport and gave them tickets to have meals every five hours. This situation has nothing to do with NFF, who had made arrangements to receive the team in Abuja before the complications in travel arrangements,” NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, explained.

It would be recalled that the NFF had implored world-governing body, FIFA to intervene with the Embassy of Germany to issue the team transit visas before their departure from Nigeria, in order for the team to be able to travel through Germany. This did not happen.

On the issue of body-wear, Sanusi said: “The players were handed three sets of green jerseys and two sets of white jerseys, several house-wear types and training jerseys. The players opted to wash only their jersey top (no other stuff) because when the first set of body-wear was sent to the laundry people at the hotel, it returned with some FIFA and NFF badges at the front and names at the back peeled by the machine.” 

Sunday Oliseh announced his resignation after German Regionalliga team, SV Straelen lost for the fifth time in as many games.

Fortuna Düsseldorf II defeated Straelen 2-0 with Oliseh miffed by his players’ display. The announcement of his resignation followed the result as the team scored just once in five league games and conceded seven times, to the expected displeasure of the former Nigeria captain.

Oliseh, according to SV Straelen sporting website, announced his resignation after the defeat on Saturday. He is believed to have placed a call through to the President of the club, Hermann Tecklenburg and announced his decision.

The team’s major highlight under Oliseh was said to be a 4-3 loss to Bundesliga 2 side, St. Pauli.

Straelen’s Sporting Director, Kevin Wolze who has taken over the coaching duties of the team made the announcement to the players during Sunday’s training session.

“Sunday obviously had the feeling that the team could no longer be reached. We have to accept this decision. It doesn’t make sense to try to persuade him to continue,” said Wolze.

“Obviously things have changed in the meantime. We started the season with five defeats and are currently bottom of the table. In addition, the squad is standing. We will take the necessary time to find a suitable successor,” he concluded.

One of the best players to ever don the Super Eagles jersey and one of the best midfielders to have come out of Africa, Oliseh’s coaching career hasn’t gone as memorable.

His strongest managerial stint has been with Dutch club, Fortuna Sittard which he literally led to the Eredivisie from the Eerste Divisie but was sacked after a rancour with the management of the club.

He has also in the past worked with the Super Eagles where he spent less than a year before resigning.

Oliseh stayed out of coaching for a long time before accepting to coach Straelen two months ago but his short stint at the club didn’t end on favourable terms as he failed to win any league match with the club.

The national under-21 men’s volleyball team on Monday lost 0-3 to their Cameroonian counterparts in the third-place match of the ongoing 2022 African U-21 Men’s Volleyball Championship in Tunisia.

Nigeria thus failed to finish among the top three countries in the championship. They lost 21-25 20-25 23-25 in the match played in Tunis.

The Cameroonians caught Nigeria napping in the early minutes of the first set to lead by seven to two points. Nigeria struggled to catch up with the Cameroonians, but the set ended 25-21.

he second set looked promising for Nigeria as they led 13 to 11, but they went on to slump and lose 20-25 points.

Nigeria and Cameroon won points simultaneously in the third set till 23 to 23, before the winners had two successive blocks to win the third set 25-23.

The head coach of the Nigerian team, Sani Mohammed, later said he was proud of his players in spite of finishing fourth at the championship.

Mohammed said the players did well throughout the championship, adding that Nigeria were underdogs at the competition.

“I am really proud of all the players. Our intention was to pick one of the available slots for the 2023 FIVB World Championship, but in the end we could not achieve that.

“But the last time Nigeria participated at the Under-21 Championship, we finished in sixth position. Now, we have finished fourth. So, this is an improvement.

We came into the championship as underdogs because our results have not been impressive in the under-21 category,” he said.

Mohammed added that most of his players have the potential to become world-beaters in the nearest future.

He advised the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) to keep the players together for future encounters.

“The players have been together for a long time and I have a strong conviction that they will become world-beaters in the future.

“I am appealing to the leadership of the federation to keep this set of players, because their best is yet to be seen by the world,” the coach said.

Three teams will represent Africa at the 2023 Federation of International Volleyball (FIVB) World Cup Championship.

These are Tunisia, Egypt and Cameroon.

The 2022 Under-21 Men’s African Volleyball Championship, which began on 13 August, will end on Tuesday.