Sports
Outrage after French MP says Israelis not welcome at Olympics
A French hard-left MP sparked a political row Sunday by saying Israeli athletes were not welcome at the Paris Olympics because of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which one senior minister said had “hints of anti-Semitism”.
France Unbowed (LFI) lawmaker Thomas Portes was “putting a target on the backs of Israeli athletes”, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told broadcaster France 2, echoing criticisms made by a major Jewish group earlier Sunday.
Yonathan Arfi, head of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France, said Israeli athletes were “already the most in danger at the Olympic Games”, referencing the 11 “murdered by Palestinian terrorists” in 1972 at the Munich Games.
In a post on X, Arfi branded Portes’s comments “irresponsible” and accused him of “legitimising Hamas”, the Palestinian militant group whose October 7 attacks on Israel sparked the Gaza war.
Portes had said at a rally in support of Palestinians that “the Israeli delegation is not welcome in Paris. Israeli sportspeople are not welcome at the Paris Olympic Games” and called for “mobilisation” around the event.
He later told the Parisien newspaper that “France’s diplomats should pressure the International Olympic Committee to bar the Israeli flag and anthem, as is done for Russia”.
“It’s time to end the double standard,” Portes added.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a limited number of Russian athletes will be allowed to compete in Paris as individuals and not under their country’s colours, and only after being vetted to ensure they have not expressed support for the war.
• Gaza war divides left –
Opposition to Israel’s campaign in Gaza was a centrepiece of LFI’s campaign ahead of European elections last month.
The territory’s Hamas-run health ministry said Sunday that almost 39,000 people had been killed in the fighting, most of them women and children.
Perceived ambiguity in LFI’s response to the October massacre broke apart an alliance of left-wing parties, which grudgingly reformed for this month’s parliamentary polls but has since struggled to find common ground despite coming first.
Beyond Darmanin and the Jewish group, Portes also came under attack from nominal parliamentary allies in the Socialist party and conservatives.
“Of course Israeli athletes are welcome, like all sportspeople from all over the world. Not for who they are but for what they do,” Socialist MP Jerome Guedj posted.
Some LFI lawmakers came out in support of Portes.
“The Israeli flag, stained with the blood of Gaza’s innocents, should not fly in Paris this summer,” MP Aymeric Caron wrote.
Israel’s football team is set to play its first Olympic match against Mali in Paris’ Parc des Prince stadium on Wednesday, two days before the opening ceremony.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s office said Sunday that he would attend Friday’s boat parade on the river Seine and a commemoration for the Israelis killed in Munich in 1972.
AFP.
High-flying Chelsea were stunned by neighbours Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, going down 2-1 to a 95th-minute winner from substitute Rodrigo Muniz in the Premier League on Thursday.
It was Fulham’s first win at Stamford Bridge since 1979 and put a dent in second-placed Chelsea’s title hopes as the hosts stay on 35 points, four points off the pace having played two games more than leaders Liverpool who host Leicester City later.
Chelsea took the lead after 16 minutes when Cole Palmer danced past two defenders and slid the ball through Issa Diop’s legs into the bottom corner to score a classy goal.
Chelsea looked in control. Palmer had another two shots on target and Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno was called into action with a sharp save from a diving header by Marc Cucurella.
He also tipped over a rocket from captain Enzo Fernandez early in the second half.
But Fulham, who last scored in the league at Stamford Bridge in 2011, showed renewed energy and determination as Chelsea sat back to defend their lead.
It paid off in the 82nd minute when Harry Wilson headed home from close range.
Muniz clinched all three points when he swept home a pass from Sasa Lukic in the dying moments of the match to take Fulham up to eighth with 28 points from 18 games.
Final statistics showed they deserved the win, with 26 touches in the opposition box to Chelsea’s 20, more than 52% possession and 14 shots to the home side’s 12.
It was Chelsea’s first league loss since a 2-1 defeat on Oct. 20 by Liverpool and they risk being overtaken by Arsenal, two points behind, who play lowly Ipswich Town on Friday.
Sports
From Junk Food To Nigerian Fufu With Ewedu Soup : How My Mum Introduces Fufu To Me, Transformed My Game On The Pitch – Ademola Lookman
Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman, the winner of the Africa Player of the Year award at the 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco.
Lookman was the biggest winner at a star-studded 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech, as Africa’s best performers for the year were honoured.
Ademola Lookman reflects on a pivotal moment in his life as a Nigerian growing up in the UK.
According to him,”During my childhood in the UK, I often found myself indulging in convenient junk food. It was quick and easy, but not exactly nourishing.
“One day, when I was around ten years old, my mum came to watch me play soccer with my friends. After the game, she noticed that I was frequently knocked down by the other kids when we battled for the ball.
With a concerned look, she said to me, ‘Ademola, my son, I’m not pleased with how easily you fall during the game. You’re a Nigerian, and you should possess the stamina that comes with that heritage.’
The very next day, my mother introduced me to Fufu (Nigeria Food). At first, I was put off by its strong smell, but when paired with ewedu soup, I began to appreciate it. Before long, I noticed a remarkable boost in my stamina.
Looking back, I can’t help but wonder how I would have made it this far without embracing Fufu. I will always carry the pride of representing Nigeria,”he said.
Super Eagles interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has undergone a successful surgery in Belgium after several delays. The procedure had been postponed multiple times due to his busy schedule with the team’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers campaign.
Eguavoen played a key role in leading the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in November. However, health issues kept him away from the 2024 CHAN qualifiers against Ghana. In his absence, assistant coach Daniel Ogunmodede has taken over responsibilities, guiding the home-based Super Eagles.
In the first leg of the CHAN qualifier in Accra, the Eagles secured a goalless draw, setting up a decisive second leg. The team returned to Nigeria on Tuesday and arrived in Uyo, where they are preparing to host the Black Galaxies at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Saturday, December 28.
Assistant coach Ogunmodede expressed optimism about the upcoming match, emphasizing the importance of a win to secure the team’s place in CHAN 2024. Preparations began immediately upon their arrival, with the squad scheduled for their first training session at the stadium’s practice pitch on Tuesday night, December 24.
The Super Eagles aim to leverage home advantage to achieve victory in this crucial encounter.
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