Nigeria crashed out of the 2024 ITTF World Championships in Busan, South Korea, posting poor performances in the men’s and women’s categories.

The 2024 ITTF World Championships presented a range of experiences for African teams, with Egypt’s women’s team standing out amidst a backdrop of challenges for others.

Traditionally a powerhouse in African table tennis, Nigeria faced a significant setback with the withdrawal of star player Quadri Aruna due to food poisoning.

It was a poor outing for Nigeria’s men’s and women’s teams, leading to their early exits from the tournament alongside other African nations like Algeria, South Africa, and Madagascar.

In contrast, the Egyptian women’s team demonstrated exceptional skill and determination to secure their spot in the second round with strategic play and resilience. Despite facing tough competition, they emerged second in their group, highlighted by a key victory over Thailand.

Similarly, the Egyptian men’s team faced initial difficulties but managed to turn their fortunes around with a crucial victory over Thailand, securing fourth place in their group.

Dina Meshref and the Egyptian women’s team, in particular, provided a beacon of hope for African table tennis.

Their success in advancing to the second round underscored the talent and potential within African teams.

Reflecting on the tournament, former African Games champion Edem Offiong spoke of the challenges faced by African teams, with specific mention of the need for better preparation and support.

International competitions like the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships serve as crucial platforms for African teams to gain experience that will be key for future events, such as the upcoming African Games in Ghana.

French striker Kylian Mbappe signed his contract with Real Madrid two weeks ago and is set to join the club as soon as the summer transfer window opens, according to a report on] Spanish media.

Mbappe and his current club Paris Saint-Germain announced last Thursday that they will be parting ways this summer and it seems clear that the striker will be a Real Madrid player.

Mbappe will sign a five-year deal with Los Blancos and his salary will be in the €15M-€20M range, per those same reports. Real Madrid’s offer was not as high as it was back in 2022 as the club felt they had leverage in the negotiations, but Mbappe ultimately decided to accept the offer and join the club, if the reports are accurate.

Most Real Madrid fans will likely remain skeptic until they see an official announcement from the club, but it looks like this time it might be real.

Nigeria’s team at the just concluded All Africa Senior Badminton Championship, Cairo 2024, claimed seven medals with the country’s number one badminton player, Anuoluwapo Opeyori clinching his fifth African title and the third back to back.

Anuoluwapo had earlier won the All Africa Senior Championships Men’s Singles title in Port Harcourt, Nigeria in 2019, the All Africa Games MS title in Morocco in 2019, the All Africa Senior Championships MS title in Uganda 2022, the All Africa Senior Championships in South Africa 2023 and now in Egypt 2024.

Nigeria’s male team  in the team event narrowly lost to Algeria in the Finals even after securing the first two of five games, thereby settling for Silver. The Women’s team picked a valuable bronze after losing the Semifinals to the Ugandan Women’s team.

In the Individual event, Nigeria’s Wonder Boy, Anuoluwapo Opeyori stormed through to the finals by beating compatriot Victor Ikechukwu 21-13, 19-21, 21-9 to rekindle an old rivalry with Mauritian Georges Julien Paul where he again asserted his dominance by beating Paul 23-21, 11-21, 21-16 to take the coveted MS crown for the third time in a row and his fifth African title.

The relatively new pair of Yunusa Momoh Godwin Olofua did the country proud by beating Mauritius players, Melvin Appiah and Tejraj Pultoo 21-17, 21-15 to reach the Finals. They were, however, unable to subdue the duo of Africa’s number one pair of Algeria’s Kociela Mammeri and Sabri Medel, thereby losing 12-21, 8-21 to clinch the Silver in the Men’s Doubles event.

In the Women’s Doubles, Nigeria’s Dorcas Ajoke Adesokan paired with a new partner, Sofiyat Obanishola to lose out narrowly to Ugandan’s Husina Kobugabe and Gladys Mbabazi 21-18, 19-21, 18-21 after fighting gallantly in the Semifinals to get a spot on the podium for the bronze medal.

In the Mixed Doubles event, yet another fresh pair of Aliyu Alhaji Shehu and Deborah Ukeh-Divine lost the Semifinal match to home team of Adham Hatem Gamel and Doha  Hany of Egypt 9-21, 12-21 (0-2) to take the bronze medal for their efforts.

In all, Nigeria was able to take home an impressive  total of 1 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze medals for relatively new pairs in all the doubles categories.

President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih,Esq, expressed his appreciation for the performance of the Team Nigeria contingent and lamented the loss in the Finals of the Men’s Team events.

“We were so close after getting the first 2 games in our favour, but we understand that in games as in life, anything can happen. We are grateful to and appreciative of our players and their performances”, Francis said.

He also appreciated the Hon. Minister for Sport Development, Hon John Enoh for the Ministry’s support for the team.

He promised that the board would continue to support  players in all categories and at all levels.

Francis further stressed the plans of the badminton  board to immediately resume preparations for the upcoming badminton event at All Africa Games holding in Ghana from the 3rd to 10th March 20

Former Arsenal defender William Gallas says that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen could join Premier League side Chelsea in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Speaking in a chat with Genting Casino, Gallas expressed his belief that Osimhen would be a formidable force in the Premier League and drew comparisons between the Nigerian international and Chelsea legend Didier Drogba.

“I think they [Chelsea] will sign Victor Osimhen in the summer. I don’t know Victor that well as a person but he’s similar to Drogba,” Gallas remarked. “Didier was so strong but with Osimhen, he is also very quick.”

Gallas continued by stating his confidence that Osimhen’s style of play would suit the Premier League well, asserting, “I am sure he will do a lot of damage in the Premier League.”

Osimhen, who has garnered interest from clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain, has been in impressive form and could be set for a move to the English top flight.

Just recently, Osimhen helped Nigeria win second place at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) technical committee, Alhaji Sheriff Inuwa says it is only the Federal Government that holds authority to determine the future of Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro.

Peseiro’s contract is set to expire at the end of the month, prompting discussions regarding its renewal despite the Super Eagles’ commendable performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire, where they finished as runners-up after a 2-1 defeat against the host nation in the final.

Inuwa revealed that the NFF board will convene next week to assess Nigeria’s performance at the AFCON and provide recommendations to the supervising Sports Ministry led by John Enoh.

Speaking to Newsmen, Inuwa highlighted that Peseiro’s status transcends the NFF, describing him as a “national project” rather than solely an NFF endeavor. He emphasized the importance of consulting with the Sports Ministry, headed by Enoh, whose decisions and guidance are pivotal in shaping policies related to sports in the country.

Inuwa affirmed the NFF’s commitment to implementing decisions made in collaboration with the Sports Ministry, underscoring the necessity of respecting the minister’s directives as the ultimate authority in matters concerning Nigerian sports.

The last time Ivory Coast clichéd an AFCON trophy was in 2015. However, on Sunday 11^th, 2024, they emerged victorious after beating Nigeria 2-1 in the finals.

While their counterpart had mounted a spirited fight since the tournament, the tables were turned at the Alassane-Ouattara stadium in Abuja.

That miraculous win against the Super Eagles left punters, football fans, and analysts with more questions than answers. How could a team, once on the verge of dropping out of the tournament at the group stage, win the trophy?

So, what motivated the Elephants to reach this level?

ü Increased Confidence

One factor that can make a team win in any match is confidence. Thankfully, The Elephants exuded more confidence when playing against the Super Eagles. When it came to players, each of them participated actively in the game, thereby making their team emerge as the overall winner of the AFCON 2023 trophy.

On the other hand, the Super Eagers appeared to be nervous. That could be attributed to the fact that winning the AFCON trophy is no mean feat. The other factor is that they were outside their own country. Regardless of the reason for the Super Eagle’s nervousness, the Elephants took advantage of it and did the unimaginable.

ü Change of a Football Coach

After Ivory Coast lost to Equatorial Guinea in a match that ended 4-0, the hope for the Elephants to win the AFCON 2023 was significantly dashed. The Ivorian Football Federation dismissed Jean Louis Gasset and hired Emerse Fae, a former player, to salvage the Elephants.

Emerse Fae was appointed on January 24^th, 2024, and has been in charge of the Elephants since then. His stewardship saw Ivory Coast defeat Senegal in the Round of 16. Further, Ivory Coast defeated Mali during extra-time in the quarter-finals and beat DRC Congo in the semi-finals. He successfully guided his team to bag the trophy on the final day, one significant achievement that will remain in history books.

ü  Decorated Squad

The Ivory Coast team is quite decorated, with most of the squad members playing in elite leagues across the globe. This level of experience gave them the much-needed skills to outsmart opponents. From S. Aurier, W. Bolly, D. Fofana, and S. Adingra to the man of the moment, S.Haller, nearly every member of the Ivorian squad players in European top leagues.

ü Home Advantage

The chances are usually high in AFCON that the host team can bag the trophy. And it makes complete sense because, by default, they will have more fans cheering them towards victory. The Ivory Coast fans indeed showed up for the Elephants during the good and hard times and cheered them from the first minute to the final day of the tournament. This is an advantage the Super Eagles lacked and saw them suffer the expected fate—losing.

ü Inspiration From The Greats

If there’s one thing the Elephants enjoyed, it was the support they received from legends like Drogba. While the former Chelsea striker took a back seat from the management role in the squad, his presence in the stadium and probably in the dressing room made a big difference. He was available during all the matches and freely shared his opinions on social media to support his country. The coach, Emerse Fae, is also a former player for Ivory Coast, and he took advantage of this to inspire his team to success.

Final Words

Ivory Coast’s AFCON 2023 win was a historic comeback 8 years after they held that title. From exuding confidence to having an elite squad, there are many reasons why Ivory Coast bagged the AFCON 2023 trophy. It remains to be seen whether Ivory Coast will retain that title or let it slip off their hands in the next AFCON tournament. Let’s wait and see!

Giannis Antetokounmpo headlines a seven-player African cast set to shine at the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.

Leading the Eastern Conference as captain in his eighth All-Star appearance is Giannis Antetokounmpo of Nigeria. He will be joined by Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat, who has Nigerian roots, in his third All-Star appearance.

The action-packed weekend will begin to February 16 and will feature the Panini Rising Star event on February 17, showcasing talents like Victor Wembanyama (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Bilal Coulibaly (Mali), and Oscar Tshiebwe (Democratic Republic of the Congo).

Victor Wembanyama will also participate in the Kia Skills Challenge alongside other stars on February 18, while a special NBA vs. WNBA three-point contest will feature Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu for the first time.

Additionally, the AT&T Slam Dunk contest will see Matt McClung defending his title against new contenders.

Former NBA Academy Africa alumni Thierry Serge Darlan (Central African Republic) and Babacar Sane (Senegal) will showcase their talents in The NBA G League Up Next event.

The 2024 Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global camp will also take place during the All-Star Weekend, featuring top high-school-age prospects, including representatives from Angola, Mali, Senegal, and South Sudan.

Adding to the excitement, the NBA All-Star Game will feature Nigerian figures Eniola “Korty” Olarenwaju and Tobi Bakre, South African personalities Bontle Modiselle, Robot Boii, and Kama Mphela, showcasing the intersection of African entertainment and basketball.

Last year’s All-Star Game set the stage with a vibrant halftime performance by Burna Boy, Tems, and Rema, taking Afrobeat culture to new heights.

The 2024 Busan ITTF World Championships got off to a poor start for African teams, with five countries getting dissapointing outcomes on the first day.

The opening matches of the 2024 Busan ITTF World Championships saw disappointing results for African teams, with Algeria, South Africa, Madagascar, and Nigeria facing defeats in both the men’s and women’s events held in South Korea.

Algeria faced tough opposition, with both their men’s and women’s teams suffering 3-0 losses to Chile and Austria, respectively.

The Algerian women’s trio of Amina Kessaci, Lynda Loghraibi, and Malissa Nasri struggled against their Chilean counterparts, while the men’s team, led by Mehdi Bouloussa, couldn’t overcome the challenge posed by Austria.

South Africa, replacing Tunisia, also had a rough start, as they were defeated 3-0 by Iran in their opening match.

Meanwhile, Madagascar’s youthful team surprisingly lost by a narrow margin, a 1-2 defeat against the Czech Republic, as they were unable to match the experience of their European opponents.

For Nigeria who faced pre-tournament setback with the withdrawal of Quadri Aruna and the late arrival of Bode Abiodun, were walked-over by Japan in their opening match.

Nigeria now faces a challenging situation with only tow Tennis players available for the ITTF World Championships.

The other African team, Egypt,  will kick off their campaign against Romania, while their female team will take on the Czech Republic on Saturday, February 17, 2024.

Nigeria’s team-leader and veteran Table Tennis player, Segun Toriola expressed disappointment at Aruna Quadri’s absence, describing it as a significant setback for the team.

However, he remains optimistic about Nigeria’s chances of progressing from the group, despite the challenges they face.

Toriola said: “I am aware that the Japanese are afraid of Aruna and their coaching crew have been worried about their formation of their team but when the news filtered that Aruna would not be coming, they were a bit relieved that they have a bye to the next game.

” But we can give up even though it is a big blow to the team here in Korea and we will not give up hoping that we can progress from the group,” the former African champion said.

Meanwhile, defending champions China narrowly avoided defeat against India, coming back from a 2-1 deficit to win 3-2 against the Indian team led by Manika Batra, as they began their title defense in Korea.