The Federal Government has tripled the prize money award for Team Nigeria medallists at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Making the announcement Tuesday in Tokyo after Wrestler Blessing Oborodudu won Team Nigeria’s second medal of the Games, Director, Federation and Elite Athletes Department (FEAD) of the Youth and Sports Development Ministry, Dr Simon Ebohdjaiye says the gesture is in appreciation of the impressive and historic performances put up by the athletes.

“The gesture is to drive home the point that the Federal Government rewards superlative efforts,” said the Director who praised the athletes for their massive exploits in Tokyo.

“Gold medallist will now be rewarded with $15,000 while silver and bronze medal winners will each get $10,000 and $7,500 respectively. The earlier award is $5,000 for gold, $3,000 for silver and $2,000 for bronze”.

Oborodudu who made history as the first Nigerian wrestler, man or woman to win an Olympic medal courtesy of the silver medal she won in the women’s 68kg freestyle will get $10,000. Long jumper Ese Brume who officially won Nigeria’s first medal at the Games, a bronze will get $7,500 as a reward.

Her medal is the first won in track and field since 2008 at the Beijing Olympics where Blessing Okagbare and the women’s 4x100m relay team won a silver medal each.
There are still three Nigerians left in the Wrestling event led by world number one in her category, Odunayo Adekuruoye.

Also within the medal range is Chukwuebuka Enekwechi who will be competing in the men’s Shot Put final on Thursday.

Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus say they will continue with plans for a European Super League, claiming to have successfully argued against any punishment by Uefa.

A joint statement from the three clubs said a court decision on Friday in Madrid means European football’s governing body have an “obligation” to terminate disciplinary proceedings against them.

Uefa paused action in June when the case was passed to the European Court of Justice.

Twelve clubs announced themselves as founder members of the Super League in April, but the proposed breakaway competition collapsed within 72 hours after nine withdrew amid fan protest, opposition from Uefa, Fifa and domestic leagues, as well as the British Government and the royal family.

Juve, Barca and Real are the only sides not to have renounced the breakaway league and have again reiterated their intention to “keep developing the Super League project”.

‘Confidence in the ESL remains’

They added that they intend to do so by working with governing bodies, leagues, fans, players, managers and clubs – all stakeholders which opposed the breakaway competition when it was initially announced.

“Clubs participating in European competitions have the right to govern their own competitions,” the clubs continued in a statement.

“We are pleased that going forward we will no longer be subject to Uefa’s ongoing threats.

“We are aware that there are elements of our proposal that should be reviewed and, of course, can be improved through dialogue and consensus.

“We remain confident in the success of a project that will be always compliant with European Union laws.”

Uefa has declined to respond to the statement from the three clubs.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who was named as the ESL’s founding chairman, has previously said the 12 clubs that agreed to join a new European Super League have “binding contracts” and “cannot leave”.

Uefa told to ‘unwind action’ against clubs

The nine which have distanced themselves – Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid – were handed financial punishments by Uefa in May.

The six Premier League clubs also agreed to make a separate “goodwill’ payment” totalling £22m in June.

The trio that remain say European football’s governing body must now “unwind the actions taken against all” sides involved in the ESL.

“The court backs the request made by the promoters of the European Super League, dismisses Uefa’s appeal, and confirms its warning to Uefa that failure to comply with its ruling shall result in fines and potential criminal liability,” the clubs said.

“The case will be assessed by the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, which shall review Uefa’s monopolistic position over European football.”

nter Milan have rejected Chelsea’s £85m bid for striker Romelu Lukaku.

Lukaku, 28, is at the head of Chelsea’s search for a new forward after Borussia Dortmund ruled out selling striker Erling Braut Haaland this summer amid interest from the Blues.

While Inter’s owners are wrestling with major financial issues, they are determined to keep hold of the Belgian.

Lukaku, a former Chelsea player, was a pivotal figure last season as Inter won their first Serie A title since 2010.

It is understood Chelsea were willing to include Spanish defender Marcos Alonso in the deal.

It remains to be seen whether the Champions League winners will make a higher offer, although Inter believe they are capable of resisting it and Lukaku has previously spoken about his intention to stay at the club.

Lukaku played 15 times during three seasons at Chelsea, between 2011 and 2014, but was sold to Everton after an impressive season on loan.

He came close to rejoining the club in 2017 but instead opted to link up with Jose Mourinho at Manchester United for £75m.

Lukaku scored 42 goals in 96 games for United, but left for Inter in 2019 for a club record fee of 80m euros (£74m) on a five-year deal.

Even before her gold medal bout on Tuesday on Mat B at the Makuhari Hall A, Blessing Oborodudu is already blessed as the first individual Nigerian woman at an Olympic Games final event since the historic feat of Chioma Ajunwa 25 years ago.

She is also the first Nigerian woman in Olympic Games wrestling final.

By reaching the final against America’s world champion Tamyra Mensah, Oborodudu, a ten time African champion who beat Battsetsegbold of Mongolia 7-2 has assured Nigeria a first medal of the Olympics.

At 11 am, local time in Tokyo and 3am in Nigeria, it will be a packed day in wrestling as three gold medals will be at stake.

It will see several repechages for the men’s Greco-Roman 77kg, women’s freestyle 68kg and men’s Greco-Roman 97kg before 1/8 Finals and 1/4 Finals of the men’s Greco-Roman 67kg, women’s freestyle 62kg and men’s Greco-Roman 87kg.

The evening session gets underway from 18:15 and will see the semi-finals of the men’s Greco-Roman 67kg and 87kg divisions before the bronze medal matches and final for the women’s freestyle 68kg, men’s Greco-Roman 77kg and men’s Greco-Roman 97kg.

The United States’ world champion Tamyra Mensah will take on Commonwealth gold medallist Blessing Oborududu of Nigeria in the women’s 68kg final.

The men’s Greco-Roman 97kg sees the return of Armenia’s Artur Aleksanyan, who will grapple with the reigning world champion, the ROC’s Musa Evloev, for the gold medal.

 Meanwhile, in the men’s Greco-Roman 77kg world no.3, Tamas Lorincz of Hungary will take on Kyrgyzstan’s Akzhol Makhmudov for top honours.