The trials will take place at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

The Nigeria Judo Federation NJF, under the leadership of Musa Oshodi, has announced it will commence preparation for the XXII Commonwealth Games in January 2022.

The Commonwealth Games will take place in Birmingham, in the United Kingdom from July 28, 2022, to August 8, 2022.

Leaving nothing to chance in its bid to have Nigeria take her rightful place in contesting for medals, the board has fixed January 26th to 29th, 2022 for the national trials to raise a formidable squad for the Games.

According to a press statement issued in Lagos on Monday by the President’s media aide, Ikpo Igbinoba, the trials will take place at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, in Surulere, Lagos.

In the programme of events released by the federation, the judokas and officials are expected to arrive in Lagos on January 26th, 2022.

The trials will be held on January 27th and 28th while the 29th is for departure.

Judokas from the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory the military, paramilitary agencies and clubs are expected to participate in the three-day event.

The judokas who excel at the trials, the press statement also stated, would be camped in a venue to be decided later by the board to begin earnest preparations for the Games.

All the weight categories (seven for men and seven for women) would be featured during the trials.

Mr Igbinoba quoted the Judo Federation president as saying that under his leadership, the NJF will always assemble the best judokas in the country for all international engagements.

According to the President: “In the current dispensation, only the very best judokas would be good enough to represent the country.

“The focus of the board is to reinvent Nigerian judo and reclaim our position on the global stage”.

All four English clubs are through to the knockout stage of the Champions League with a game to spare, with the group phase ending this week.

After Tuesday’s games, 12 teams are through, with four spots in the last 16 still up for grabs.

In the Europa League, West Ham, Leicester, Celtic and Rangers have had mixed campaigns, while Tottenham’s chances of progressing in the Europa Conference League are hanging in the balance.

Here is the state of play.

Champions League

Who is through to the knockout stage?

Group winners: Manchester City, Liverpool, Ajax, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester United.

Already qualified: Juventus, Chelsea, Paris St-Germain, Sporting Lisbon, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan.

Out: Besiktas, RB Leipzig, Malmo, Dynamo Kyiv, Young Boys, Zenit St Petersburg, Club Bruges, Borussia Dortmund, Sheriff Tiraspol, Shakhtar Donetsk, Porto, AC Milan,

Who else can still reach the knockout stage?

Group E: Barcelona, Benfica

Group F: Villarreal, Atalanta

Group G: Red Bull Salzburg, Lille, Wolfsburg, Sevilla

What do sides need to do to qualify?

Manchester City seal top spot

Despite losing 2-1 to RB Leipzig in their final group game, Manchester City win Group A and will be seeded in Monday’s draw, where they are joined by Paris St-Germain.

Six out of six for Liverpool

There will be plenty of clubs hoping to avoid Liverpool in the last-16 draw after they made it six wins out of six – and won Group B with an 11-point cushion. Atletico Madrid, who had started the final matchday bottom of the group, advance courtesy of a 3-1 win at Porto.

100% Ajax

Like Liverpool, Ajax also emerge from the group stage with a 100% winning record. Sporting Lisbon knew they were through before Tuesday’s 4-2 defeat by Ajax.

Real seeded in draw

Real Madrid needed to win their final game against Inter Milan to seal top spot in Group D. The record 13-times winners beat their opponents 2-0. Inter also progress as runners-up.

Barca face tense finale

Final games: Benfica v Dynamo Kyiv and Bayern Munich v Barcelona on 8 December (20:00 GMT)

Barcelona face a tense group stage finale away to runaway leaders Bayern Munich. Defeat or a draw for Barca – and a win for Benfica, who host bottom club Dynamo Kyiv – will send the five-time European champions down into the Europa League.

Man Utd win group

Final games: Atalanta v Villarreal and Manchester United v Young Boys on 8 December (20:00 GMT)

Manchester United not only qualified for the knockout stage with a win away to Villarreal – they also sealed top spot after Atalanta were held to a 3-3 draw by Young Boys.

The Italians will join United in the last 16 if they beat Villarreal in their final game.

A four-way battle

Final games: Red Bull Salzburg v Sevilla and Wolfsburg v Lille on 8 December (20:00 GMT)

There is still everything to play for as the tightest of groups reaches its finale. Lille start the final round of group games top but could yet miss out as just three points separate the four teams.

Will Chelsea seal top spot?

Final games: Juventus v Malmo and Zenit St Petersburg v Chelsea on 8 December (17:45 GMT)

Reigning champions Chelsea are through to the last 16, as are Juventus. If the Blues match or better Juve’s result in the last round of games, they will win the group.

Europa League

Who is advancing?

Group winners: Lyon, Monaco, Bayer Leverkusen, West Ham.

Already qualified: Rangers, Eintracht Frankfurt, Olympiakos, Galatasaray, Lazio, Real Betis.

Cannot advance in Europa League: Brondby, Sparta Prague, Sturm Graz, Fenerbahce, Antwerp, Marseille, Lokomotiv Moscow, Ludogorets, Celtic, Ferencvaros, Rapid Vienna

Who can still qualify?

Group B: PSV Eindhoven, Real Sociedad,

Group C: Leicester City, Spartak Moscow, Napoli, Legia Warsaw

Group F: Red Star Belgrade, Braga, Midtjylland

Group H: Dinamo Zagreb, Genk

What do British sides need to do to qualify?

Rangers through in second

Thursday, 9 December: Sparta Prague v Brondby, Lyon v Rangers (both 17:45 GMT)

Rangers cannot qualify directly to the last 16 but a 2-0 win over Sparta Prague ensures they finish second and qualify for the knockout round play-offs. The play-offs will be contested between the eight Europa League group runners-up and the eight third-ranked teams from the Champions League groups. Rangers’ final group game is away to Lyon on 9 December.

Foxes top but still have work to do

Thursday, 9 December – Legia Warsaw v Spartak Moscow, Napoli v Leicester (both 17:45 GMT)

Leicester moved from bottom of the group to the top thanks to a 3-1 win over Legia Warsaw, but Brendan Rodgers’ side need to get at least a draw in their final game at Napoli to advance. Only a win in Italy would be enough to guarantee top spot.

All four teams in the group can still advance.

Celtic dropping down to Conference League

Thursday, 9 December – Celtic v Real Betis, Ferencvaros v Bayer Leverkusen (both 20:00 GMT)

Celtic’s 3-2 loss to Bayer Leverkusen means the Scottish side will be dropping down to the Conference League, with Leverkusen guaranteed top spot and Real Betis finishing second.

Hammers win the group and avoid qualifying round play-off

Thursday, 9 December – Genk v Rapid Vienna, West Ham v Dinamo Zagreb (both 20:00 GMT)

West Ham’s 2-0 win away at Rapid Vienna means the Hammers top the group with a game to spare and jump straight into the last 16, avoiding the qualifying round play-off.

Europa Conference League

Who is advancing?

Group winners: AZ Alkmaar, FC Copenhagen, Feyenoord, Gent, LASK, Rennes.

Already qualified: Maccabi Tel Aviv, Bodo Glimt, Roma, Basel, Qarabag.

Could still qualify: Partizan Belgrade, Flora, Anorthosis Famagusta, Randers, Jablonec, Slavia Prague, Union Berlin, Maccabi Haifa, Slovan Bratislava, PAOK Salonika, Tottenham, Vitesse Arnhem.

Out: HJK Helsinki, Alashkert, Zorya Luhansk, CSKA Sofia, Cluj, Lincoln Red Imps, Mura, Omonia, Kairat

A Spurs win might not be enough

Thursday, 9 December – Tottenham v Rennes, Vitesse v Mura (20:00 GMT)

Tottenham looked to be in a strong position to qualify, before they suffered a surprise, last-gasp 2-1 loss to Mura.

If they and Vitesse Arnhem finish level on points both teams have a similar record in the head-to-head of one win and one loss apiece and three goals both scored and conceded (away goals scored no longer counts).

Therefore, if the two teams end on the same points it will go down to overall goal difference. Spurs are currently two goals better off in that respect.

However, Tottenham could still be eliminated even if they beat Rennes. Vitesse would overtake them if they managed to beat Mura – and won by three goals more than Spurs.

England’s Ashes campaign began in depressingly familiar fashion as the tourists were skittled for just 147 by Australia on the opening day of the series at the Gabba.

In a moment of instant Ashes infamy, Rory Burns was bowled by Mitchell Starc from the very first delivery of the series, immediately sapping English optimism in Brisbane.

With skipper Joe Root falling for nought, England were 11-3, having opted to bat on a green-tinged pitch offering assistance to the pace bowlers.

Australia’s attack was relentless, led by Pat Cummins, who claimed 5-38 on his first day as captain.

Jos Buttler mounted an England counter-attack of sorts with 39, sharing a stand of 52 with Ollie Pope, who made 35.

Haseeb Hameed, with a watchful 25, and Chris Woakes, who made 21, were the only other batters to reach double figures.

The miserable batting display detracted from the decision to omit Stuart Broad, joining fellow pace bowler James Anderson on the sidelines, the first time in 15 years England have played an Ashes Test without at least one of them.

England were all out by tea, only for a huge storm to wipe out the evening session and prevent the start of Australia’s reply.

New Ashes, old story

With the bad weather, Covid restrictions and a lack of preparation for both sides amounting to a unique build-up to the series, a grey morning and half-empty Gabba did little to make this feel like an Ashes opener.

However, after only one ball, England were reminded why they have lost nine of their past 10 Tests in Australia and not won in Brisbane for 35 years.

Like Steve Harmison’s first delivery to second slip in 2006 or Nasser Hussain’s decision to field in 2002, Burns was written into Ashes folklore by a swinging Starc yorker which clattered into leg stump.

Should England have chosen to field first? Batting did begin to look easier in the afternoon session, by which time the damage had been done.

There will be questions over the decision to omit both Broad and Anderson, made with the rest of the series in mind, though England may have already suffered a crucial blow.

The last two times England have won series in Australia – 1986-87 and 2010-11 – they have avoided being beaten in Brisbane. It is too early to write them off in both this match and the series, but this is an awful start.

Fragile batting costs England again

For all of the hope that damp conditions in Brisbane and, later, the prospect of two pink-ball day-night Tests might favour England’s bowlers, the fear that the batting would fail too often was realised at the earliest opportunity.

As well as Australia bowled and as difficult as the early conditions were, England’s batters were not equipped to survive.

Burns got too far across and exposed his stumps to become the second man in history to be out to the first ball of an Ashes series, joining England’s Thomas Worthington in 1936.

Dawid Malan was caught behind after prodding at a delivery from Josh Hazlewood, who then got movement from a full length to take the crucial wicket of Root, the captain caught at first slip.

Ben Stokes, returning to the game for the first time since July, was squared up by Cummins, the home skipper then drawing Hameed into needlessly playing at a wide one after lunch.

Buttler’s counter-attack, featuring drives over the covers, raised hopes and briefly knocked Australia from their length.

However, his edge behind off Starc was the start of England losing their last five wickets for 35 runs.

Captain Cummins leads Australia charge

After the turmoil of Australia’s build-up – former captain Tim Paine resigned in a texting scandal, then pulled out of the series completely – this was a near-perfect start for the hosts and new skipper Cummins.

It was Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood who laid waste to England’s batting in Australia’s 4-0 win four years ago, and they ran through the tourists once more by finding movement from a full length.

If both sides have had a disrupted build-up, it is worth noting the same pace trio have been bowling meaningfully in Australia’s triumph at the T20 World Cup and they showed no signs of rustiness in Brisbane.

They were supported by secure catching. Debutant Alex Carey, Paine’s replacement behind the stumps, pouched three, while Hazlewood himself took a fine diving grab at long leg to give Cameron Green his first Test wicket when Pope lost control of a pull shot.

Cummins took the final three wickets, a flat-footed waft by Ollie Robinson followed by both Mark Wood and Woakes falling to the short ball.

Lower-order batters being blown away by Australian bouncers is yet another ominous sign for England.

‘Difficult to understand Broad decision’

Jonathan Agnew: “I was very surprised by England’s team. I found it quite hard to believe – a really difficult decision to work out. You lost James Anderson, although he was fit to play we’re told, but you can understand why with Adelaide next week you wouldn’t want to risk him.

“Broad is fit and he’s absolutely got the sign over this top order. What will have Australia thought when they saw he wasn’t playing?”

Ashes-winning pace bowler Steven Finn on Test Match Special: “England will have fancied their chances of getting through the first hour, when you know there are going to be difficult periods. There was evidence there to suggest that the ball was skipping onto the bat once it lost its hardness. I can understand why England made that decision but unfortunately it hasn’t gone right for them.”

England batter Ollie Pope: “It wasn’t the end result we wanted but we won’t get too down about it now because both sides have to bat and it is a long series.

“It was a disappointing start and the pitch did offer a fair bit. We’ll come back fighting hard tomorrow.”

Australia captain Pat Cummins: “It’s all gone to plan so far today. I’m proud of all the guys. We stayed really composed. I was probably going to have a bat, but I wasn’t upset to lose the toss. It was 50-50.”

Australia will join the United States in a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday, as other allies weighed similar moves to protest China’s human rights record.

The United States has said its government officials will botcot February’s Beijing Games  because of China’s human rights “atrocities”, just weeks after talks aimed at easing tense relations between the world’s two largest economies. 

China said the United States would ‘pay the ptice  for its decision and warned of countermeasures in response, but gave no details.

Morrison said Wednesday’s decision came because of Australia’s struggles to re-open diplomatic channels with China to discuss alleged human rights abuses in the far western region of Xinjiang and Beijing’s moves against Australian imports. 

Announcing the plans, Morrison said Beijing had not responded to several issues raised by Canberra, including the rights abuse accusations.

“So it is not surprising therefore that Australian government officials would not be going to China for those Games,” Morrison told reporters in Sydney. Australian athletes will attend.

China has denied any wrongdoing in Xinjiang and said allegations are fabricated.

Its foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing in Beijing that Australian politicians were engaged in “political posturing”.

“Whether they come or not, nobody cares,” he added.

The Australian Olympic Committee said the boycott would have no impact on athletes’ preparations for the Games, which run from Feb. 4 to 20, adding that “diplomatic options” were a matter for governments.

Other U.S. allies have been slow to commit to joining the boycott.

Britain is considering approving limited government attendance at the event in the Chinese capital that would stop short of a full diplomatic boycott, the Telegraph newspaper said on Wednesday.

An outright ban on ministerial and diplomatic representation at the Winter Games remains a possibility, it added.

Japan is considering not sending cabinet members to Games after the United States announced its diplomatic boycott, the Sankei Shimbun daily said on Wednesday, citing unidentified government sources.

A South Korean presidential official said the country is currently not considering a diplomatic boycott.

President Joe Biden’s administration cited what the United States calls genocide against minority Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region. China denies all rights abuses.

The Winter Games will begin about six months after the Summer Games wrapped up in the Japanese capital of Tokyo following a year’s delay because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We always ask for as much respect as possible and least possible interference from the political world,” said Juan Antonio Samaranch, who heads the International Olympic Committee’s coordination panel for the Beijing event.

“We have to be reciprocal. We respect the political decisions taken by political bodies.”

The United States is set to host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and is preparing to bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

The American diplomatic boycott, encouraged for months by some members of the U.S. Congress and rights groups, comes despite an effort to stabilise the two nations’ ties, with a video meeting last month between Biden and China’s Xi Jinping.

‘THE ONLY OPTION’

Unless other countries joined the boycott it would undermine the message that China’s human rights abuses are unacceptable, said Bonnie Glaser, a China expert at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

“The only option really that is available to us is to try to get as many countries as we can to stand with us in this coalition,” Glaser told a U.S. congressional hearing on Tuesday.

Ties between Australia and its top trade partner, China, are at a low ebb after Canberra banned Huawei Technologies from its 5G broadband network in 2018 and sought an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19.

Beijing responded with tariffs on Australian commodities such as barley, beef, coal and wine.

World number one Novak Djokovic was named on the official entry list for next year’s Australian Open on Wednesday but 23-times Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams will not play on the advice of her medical team.

Djokovic has declined to disclose his vaccination status despite all players, officials, staff and fans at the Jan. 17-30 tournament at Melbourne Park needing to be inoculated against COVID-19.

Tennis Australia later told local media that his presence on the list was not a guarantee the Serbian would play.

Williams, who won the last of her seven Australian Open titles in 2017, had an injury-disrupted season and has not played since she limped out of her first-round match at Wimbledon in June due to the leg injury.

Tournament organiser Craig Tiley said last month that the 40-year-old American, who needs one more Grand Slam title to match Margaret Court’s record of 24, would be playing at Melbourne Park.

“Following the advice of my medical team, I have decided to withdraw from this year’s Australian Open,” Williams said in a statement.

“While this is never an easy decision to make, I am not where I need to be physically to compete. I will miss seeing the fans but am excited to return and compete at my highest level.”

Djokovic, who will be bidding for a record 21st Grand Slam men’s singles title if he plays at the tournament, said last week that he would be making a decision “very soon” about travelling to Australia. 

The 34-year-old was also named in the Serbia team for the ATP Cup, which will be held in Sydney in early January, when that was released on Tuesday. 

Williams’s name was the most obvious omission from the field with 20-times Grand Slam champion Roger Federer having already confirmed that he would skip the event as he recovers from another round of knee surgeries. 

Stan Wawrinka, who won the first of his three Grand Slam titles at Melbourne Park in 2014, was also absent from the men’s field.