Sports

PATRIOTISM! Arsenal’s Zinchenko Says He Would Fight In Ukraine If Called Up

Published

7 months ago

April 5, 2024

This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law lowering the country’s army mobilisation age from 27 to 25, the country’s parliament said on its website.

Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko says he would leave the Premier League to fight in Ukraine if his war-torn country called him up.

This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law lowering the country’s army mobilisation age from 27 to 25, the country’s parliament said on its website.

Mobilisation has been a divisive issue in a nation exhausted by more than two years of war with Russia, which has resulted in huge military losses.
Zelensky said in December that the army wanted to mobilise up to half a million people to battle Moscow’s forces in Ukraine.
Arsenal’s Zinchenko, who has won 60 caps for Ukraine, told BBC’s Newsnight programme he would answer a call-up.

“I think it’s a clear answer. I would go (to fight)”, he said.
He added that former school friends were involved in the conflict.
“It’s tough to understand that just recently we’ve been in the same school, we were playing in the playground or on the football pitch, and now they have to defend our country,” he said.
“And, honestly, (it’s) so hard to accept this, but it is what it is. We cannot give up.”

The 27-year-old former Manchester City player told the BBC he had donated about £1 million ($1.25 million) to help people in his country since Russia’s invasion in 2022.

“I know maybe some people might think that it’s much easier… for me being here (in London) rather than being there (in Ukraine),” he said. “I really hope that this war will end soon.”
The Arsenal player, who began his senior career with Russian team Ufa, said he is no longer in contact with friends or former teammates who are in Russia.
“Since the invasion really few (have) texted me and sent me some messages and I can’t blame them because this is not their fault,” he said.

“I cannot tell them, ‘Guys, do the protests outside and all these things’, because I know they can be (put) in prison.”
He said Moscow’s invasion had shown “all of us Ukrainians that we can’t be friends” with Russians any more.
“We will never forget what they have done to us, to our people,” he added. “And that’s what I will teach my kids as well. And my kids will teach their kids. This is not acceptable.”
Though Zinchenko decided against fighting he told AFP last year he hoped his children would understand why.
“I hope if my children ask me ‘Daddy what did you do in that time, how did you help?’, I will be able to look them in their eyes and reply I was doing my best.”
Several Ukrainian sports stars have previously joined the effort to defend their country, including world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Former WBO world heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko is mayor of Kyiv.

Sports

Three reasons Victor Osimhen will not join Galatasaray permanently despite interest

Published

7 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Galatasaray are reportedly plotting a permanent move for Victor Osimhen after the striker impressed early since joining the Turkish champions on a season-long loan from Napoli.

Osimhen settled in quickly at the RAMS Park, scoring four goals and contributing another four assists in nine games, including the winning goal against Besiktas.

According to Turkish outlet Sozcu, Gala are prepared to break their transfer record and offer a €50 million bid to Napoli to sign the Nigerian permanently.

Team Talk debunked the news reporting that the club’s sources claimed it is “fake news” with zero chance of happening despite him being a fan favourite already.

Let’s look at three reasons Osimhen can’t join Galatasaray.

1. Premier League dream

Premier League side Chelsea attempted to sign the Super Eagles star until the final moments of the summer transfer window when the deal was off after failure to reach an agreement on personal terms. The Blues reportedly retain their interest, with Arsenal also monitoring the situation.

Osimhen is said to dream of playing on the top flight of English football. He will turn 26 in December, and his best time to fulfil the dream is to get a move in January or, at the latest, next summer.

2. Galatasaray and Napoli are apart in fee

Osimhen had a release clause of £113 million inserted into the new Napoli contract he signed in the summer of 2023, a figure which eventually proved to be a stumbling block to his desired move last summer, with interest clubs unwilling to pay.

He extended his contract by a year before joining Galatasaray on loan, and a new release clause of €75 million was inserted, but the Turkish champions will reportedly offer a third of that, which is sure to be dismissed by the Neapolitans.

3. Salary demands

Osimhen’s current salary at Napoli is reportedly €12.82mil per year or €246,538 per week, while the Turkish club announced to the public that they would pay the former Lille striker €115,000 per week, way below his current grade. It is unclear if the Lions will raise their offer.

The Nigerian has a more lucrative salary offer of over €500,000 per week in Saudi Arabia, with Al-Ahli possibly returning for him in the summer.

Source: www.legit.ng

Sports

FG Panel Indicts AFN In Ofili’s Paris Olympics Omission

Published

7 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

An investigative committee set up by the Federal Government has stated that the inactions of some officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria were responsible for Favour Ofili’s non-registration for the women’s 100-meter race at the Paris Olympics.

The PUNCH reports that Nigeria failed to win any medals at the end of the 2024 Paris Olympics, held between the 26th of July, and the 11th of August, 2024.

Added to the failure to secure any medals were the controversies, including the exclusion of Ofili from the Women’s 100m race, and the revelation by Ese Ukpeseraye that she had to borrow a track bike from the German team to compete.

In its report made available to journalists on Monday, the Committee Chairman, Mumini Alao, stated that the omission of Ofili’s name was traceable to the following organisations: the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, the Nigeria Olympic Committee, World Athletics, and the International Olympic Committee.

The committee also mentioned that the Secretary General of the AFN, Rita Mosindi, was “Negligent in her duty of communicating to the Ministry of Sports Development and the Nigeria Olympic Committee information about Ofili’s event status in a reliable and timely manner.”

The committee also faulted Samuel Onikeku, AFN Technical Director, who it said demonstrated “poor judgment” by failing to act on a “hint” of Ofili’s non-registration for the 100m event, adding that the situation may have been saved had Onikeku reported or acted on the information.

The report recommended that the officials be penalised by appropriate authorities and that the AFN should pay the sum of N8 million to Ofili for “the disappointment and depression that she suffered on account of her omission”.

In the case of Ese Ukpeseraye, the Committee asked the athlete to write a formal apology to the Nigerian Cycling Federation, and the Nigerian contingent for the embarrassment caused on account of her X (formerly Twitter) post which stated she had to borrow a track bike.

“The cyclist, Ese Ukpeseraye, should write a formal apology to the Nigeria Cycling Federation (NCF) for the embarrassment that she caused the Federation and the Nigerian contingent to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on account of the unauthorised post that she made on social media, X (formerly Twitter) about the bicycle that she used for the Cycling track event at the Olympics”, the post read.

The committee had submitted its report to the defunct Ministry of Sports Development on October 22, a day before President Tinubu scrapped the Ministry, transferring its functions and responsibilities to the National Sports Commission, chaired by Shehu Dikko.

Sports

NPFL: Musa scores for Kano Pillars, Rivers United falter

Published

1 day ago

November 4, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Ahmed Musa scored the winning goal as Kano Pillars rallied to beat Plateau United 2-1 on Sunday.

Plateau United took the lead through Gafar Saka on 66 minutes.

Rabiu Ali equalised for Pillars 13 minutes from time, while Musa fired home the winning goal in stoppage time

In Lagos, Rivers United lost for the first time in the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, this season, going down to a 2-0 defeat against Ikorodu City.

Ayomide Cole gave Ikorodu City the lead three minutes after the break.

Rivio Ayemnwere doubled the advantage eight minutes later.

Elsewhere, holders Rangers claimed a 2-0 win over Nasarawa United at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.

Last season’s top scorer, Godwin Obaje, scored both goals for the Flying Antelopes.

FULL RESULTS

Rangers 2-0 Nasarawa Utd

Kano Pillars 1-0 Plateau Utd

Sunshine Stars 1-2 Insurance

Abia Warriors 0-1 Heartland

Bayelsa Utd 1-1 Enyimba

Ikorodu City 2-0 Rivers Utd

Tornadoes 1-0 3SC