Sports
Paris bubbles as athletes arrive for Olympics
By Francesca Hangeior
French security forces began locking down large parts of central Paris on Thursday ahead of the hugely complex Olympics opening ceremony next week on the river Seine.
The opening parade along six kilometres (four miles) of the river led to the closure of riverside central districts to most vehicles from 5:00 am (0300 GMT) on Thursday.
Anyone wanting to enter the highest-security “grey zone” along both banks of the Seine, such as residents or tourists with hotel reservations in the area, will need a security pass in the form of a QR code.
With the opening ceremony just eight days away, the City of Light is transforming ahead of the Games when around 10 million spectators are expected
Temporary sports stadiums have sprung up at popular locations such as the Eiffel Tower, the Invalides or the Place de la Concorde, while new Olympic VIP lanes are the latest traffic-snarling addition.
“We’re entering a very operational phase of hosting the world’s biggest event,” Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told reporters on Wednesday as he outlined the security measures by the Seine.
Many central Metro stations were also closed on Thursday until the day after the opening ceremony, which will see 6,000-7,000 athletes sail down the Seine on around a hundred barges and riverboats.
It will be the first time a Summer Olympics has opened outside the main athletics stadium, with up to 500,000 people set to watch in person from stands, on the river banks, and from the overlooking apartments.
The vast security operation for the opening ceremony has been giving senior police officers cold sweats ever since it was announced in 2021 because of the difficulty of protecting so many spectators in such a large, densely packed urban area.
Around 45,000 officers are set to be on duty for the July 26 parade, assisted by 1,900 foreign police, as well as 10,000 French soldiers and thousands of private security agents.
The installation of tens of thousands of metal security barriers all along the opening ceremony route in Paris and around the temporary venues has outraged some Parisians, who feel closed in or find their routes on foot or by bike blocked.
“It’s a bit like being in Planet of the Apes,” Aissa Yago, who lives on the Ile Saint Louis in central Paris, told AFP this week from behind a barrier. “All they need to do is throw us some peanuts.”
The concept for the Paris Games — of using the historic city centre as a backdrop for the sport rather than moving the events out of the city — has caused complaints and led many wealthy residents to flee.
Sports
NPFL: Enyimba fined N1m for misconduct
The Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, has fined Enyimba one million naira for misconduct capable of bringing the game into disrepute.
Enyimba were also charged with breaching the NPFL Framework and Rules in the course of their matchday nine fixture against Ikorodu City at the Enyimba Stadium on Sunday.
The People’s Elephant have also been reprimanded for publishing disparaging comments against match officials on their X handle.
NPFL stated that Enyimba published comments that were capable of bringing the game into disrepute.
The club was warned to desist from similar acts in future and advised to use appropriate channels to make their complaints, as a recurrence will lead to stiffer sanctions.
Enyimba have been availed the right to appeal the sanctions within 48 hours of the date of the notice.
Sports
Osimhen rules out January move to Chelsea
Victor Osimhen has confirmed he will not be joining Chelsea during the January transfer window, stating his commitment to remain with Turkish giants Galatasaray until the end of his loan spell, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The 25-year-old striker, who was heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge during the summer transfer window, made his intentions clear after netting his fourth goal for Galatasaray in their 2-1 victory against Besiktas in Monday’s Turkish Super Lig Istanbul Derby.
“Yes, I am here,” Osimhen responded when asked about his plans for the second half of the season, as revealed by Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu.
The Nigeria striker has been in scintillating form since joining the Turkish Super Lig leaders on loan from Napoli in September, scoring in three consecutive league games, including a spectacular overhead kick against Antalyaspor last weekend, upon his return from injury.
His latest goal came in the 67th minute against Besiktas, when he expertly headed home Gabriel Sara’s cross to double Galatasaray’s lead before the visitors pulled one back in stoppage time.
Despite Chelsea’s continued interest in securing his services and Nicolas Jackson’s improved form, the Blues are still in the market for a striker that is capable of guaranteeing at least 20 goals per season, with Osimhen viewed as the ideal candidate to fill that void.
The former Lille forward’s performances in Turkey have caught the attention of Chelsea legends John Mikel Obi and Didier Drogba, who have both endorsed him as an ideal signing for their former club.
Okan Buruk’s Galatasaray have benefitted significantly from Osimhen’s presence, with the striker contributing four goals and four assists in just six appearances. The team currently sit atop the Turkish Super Lig standings with 28 points from 10 matches, maintaining an impressive run of eight wins and two draws in their last 10 games across all competitions.
The victory over Besiktas has helped Galatasaray open a six-point gap ahead of second-placed Samsunspor, while the defeated remain fourth with 20 points.
With Osimhen confirming his commitment to Galatasaray until the summer, Chelsea may have to wait until 2025 to secure the services of the former Lille player, who continues to enhance his reputation in Turkish football.
Sports
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka ‘Disappointed’ After Liverpool Draw
Bukayo Saka became the youngest Arsenal player to score 50 Premier League goals when he returned from a hamstring injury in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool, but the winger was disappointed to drop two points after being on the verge of a crucial win.
Saka, who was injured during England’s loss to Greece earlier this month, scored early to become the league’s seventh youngest player to reach 50 goals at 23 years and 52 days, eight days older than when England’s top scorer Harry Kane netted his 50th Premier League goal.
Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler remains the youngest to reach the milestone at 20 years and 252 days, ahead of fellow strikers Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney and Romelu Lukaku, with Cristiano Ronaldo the fifth youngest.
“I hate to miss games, so I was buzzing to be back. I had this game in mind to come back for and I was feeling good out there, and I was happy to get an early goal,” Saka told Arsenal’s official website.
“We are disappointed. I feel like we didn’t show our best selves for 90 minutes and it cost us in the end. We believe we should have won it.”
Mikel Arteta also praised Saka’s consistency as one of the positives in the match that saw key players Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurien Timber leave the field with injuries.
“After a few weeks off, the way he played and competed was exceptional. I think we had some big, big individual performances in the team,” Arteta said.
Third-placed Arsenal, who lost all Bournemouth last weekend, now trail leaders Manchester City by five points. Arsenal continue their league campaign at Newcastle United on Saturday.
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