SportsNews
Olympics: Sports Minister Questions Ofili’s Omission, Says Officials Have Not Slept

Published
8 months agoon
By
Ekwutos Blog
The Minister of Sports Development John Enoh has again raised questions about Favour Ofili’s omission for the 2024 Olympics, saying officials of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC) have not slept since the discovery.
Ofili was supposed to compete in the 100m race at the Games. Her name, was, however, omitted, a development that has raised questions among stakeholders.
While giving an update about Ofili’s omission, Enoh said Nigerian officials are working on getting to the root of the matter.
“The 100m race got off to a start today, sadly without Favor Ofili. I was on the matter until the early hours of today, with the hope of giving Nigerians something to be happy about. From the moment I stated my position on this, officials of the NOC haven’t slept, they have been on their toes. The NOC President Engr Habu Gumel and his team kept vigil, traversing between the Director of Competition, the Technical Committee, and the World Athletics,” the minister said Friday evening.
“I have been duly informed that some other countries have similar issues, and these aforementioned bodies do not want to open a floodgate that would become difficult to manage. Howbeit, I am not concerned about other countries. My interest is with my own country Nigeria and who is responsible for the nonlisting of Favor Ofili.
“Furthermore, I have been briefed that World Athletics submitted, that when the final list was published in July by it, AFN should have called its attention to the omission of Favor Ofili’s name. This still doesn’t address the issue. At what point did her name drop out of the 100m race? Who’s responsible for this? What’s the motivation behind this? What’s the trail of communication from AFN to NOC and to IOC and/or World Athletics?
“All these are questions that must be answered immediately after the Olympics. For now, I appeal to Favor Ofili to refuse to allow this to distract her concentration in the remaining races for which she has been listed(I’m in touch with her on this). And for the rest of Team Nigeria, particularly the athletics team, let them stay motivated to win.”
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SportsNews
Champions League: Nigerian singer, Joeboy loses N3million bet as Arsenal thrash Real Madrid

Published
15 hours agoon
April 9, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
Nigerian singer, Joeboy, lost a N3million bet after Arsenal beat Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.
Seven hours before kick-off, Joeboy posted a betting slip with the caption, “Cashing out on Arsenal tears tonight!”
The Controller crooner could have won N10,345,000 if Madrid has won at the Emirates.
But Declan Rice curled in two beautiful free-kicks to give the Gunners the lead, before Mikel Merino added a third.
The result left Joeboy short of words, as he could only tweet “Goodnight” at full time.
Arsenal will be looking to book their place in the semi-final when they travel to the Santiago Bernabeu for the second leg next Wednesday.
Before that game, Mikel Arteta’s men host Brentford in the Premier League.
SportsNews
Champions League quarter-final: Arsenal thrash Real Madrid as Inter beat Bayern

Published
1 day agoon
April 8, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
Arsenal on Tuesday night thrashed Real Madrid 3-0 in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg tie.
The first half ended in a 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
However, in the second half, Declan Rice’s brace and a goal from Mikel Merino gave Mikel Arteta’s side a first leg advantage ahead of the return leg next week.
Meanwhile, in the other Champions League last-8 first leg tie played, Inter Milan defeated Bayern Munich 2-1.
Lautaro Martinez gave the visitors the lead in the first half.
But Thomas Muller equalized for the hosts.
However, Davide Frattesi scored few minutes later to give the Serie A side a first leg advantage ahead of the return leg next week.
Meanwhile, the remaining quarter-final fixtures will continue on Wednesday.
Aston Villa will face Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona will clash with Dortmund.
SportsNews
Nigeria seeks to host 2030 Commonwealth Games

Published
2 days agoon
April 7, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
Nigeria has formally expressed interest in hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Abuja.
The Nigerian Olympic Committee, NOC, made the announcement following an executive committee meeting held on 3 April in Abuja.
Ekwutosblog gathered that the bid can only move forward if it secures the official backing of the Federal Government.
In a statement issued on Monday by NOC’s Public Relations Officer, Tony Nezianya, the committee stressed that hosting the Commonwealth Games would offer a strategic platform for Nigeria to exhibit its strides in national development, improve its international profile, and deepen the culture of sports across the nation.
Nezianya described the bid as a unique opportunity to reflect Nigeria’s growth, elevate its standing among the community of nations, and inspire a new generation of athletes.
Nigeria last hosted a major multi-sport event in 2003, when the 8th All-Africa Games (COJA 2003) took place in Abuja. NOC noted that the success of that event demonstrated Nigeria’s capacity to organise large-scale international competitions and laid a strong foundation for future hosting ambitions.
A successful bid for the 2030 Games is expected to catalyse major investment in sports infrastructure, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory.
NOC further stated that such infrastructural development would not only revitalise the nation’s sports economy but also provide lasting facilities for future generations.
Beyond infrastructure, the hosting of the Commonwealth Games would offer substantial economic and social benefits. The anticipated influx of international visitors would invigorate local businesses and the hospitality industry.
Meanwhile, the planning and execution of the event would generate employment and foster the acquisition of valuable technical and organisational skills.
According to the committee, the bid also seeks to present Nigeria as a nation that values athletic excellence, inclusiveness, peace, and cultural richness.
The next edition of the Commonwealth Games is set to take place in Glasgow, Scotland, from 17 to 29 March 2026. Glasgow previously hosted the Games in 2014, the same year Nigeria submitted a bid but ultimately lost to Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Africa is also poised to make history by hosting the Youth Olympic Games for the first time, with Dakar, Senegal, scheduled to welcome young athletes from 31 October to 13 November 2026.
Other significant forthcoming events include the Winter Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina in February 2027, the African Beach Games in Equatorial Guinea later that year, the 14th African Games in Egypt from January to February 2027, and the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles in July 2028.

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