Author: Opalim Lifted

Spain began the Paris 2024 Olympic men’s football tournament on a high after recovering from a goal down to beat debutants Uzbekistan 2-1 at the Parc des Princes, leaving La Roja with only one defeat across their last six opening matches at the Games. This was a landmark day for a White Wolves side competing in their first-ever Olympic Games, and they could have hardly asked for more prestigious opposition to commemorate the occasion, with Spain targeting a European Championship and Olympic double after winning Euro 2024 earlier this month. Alex Baena was one of two players – along with…

Argentina incredibly rescued a 2-2 draw from 2-0 down against a talented Morocco outfit in the 106th minute, boosting the Albiceleste’s hopes of avoiding a third straight group-stage elimination as the Games suffered a setback. The game was played at breakneck speed from kick-off at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, but neither team was able to register a shot on target in the opening 30 minutes, with captain Nicolas Otamendi, one of Argentina’s three overage players, perhaps having the best chance during that period when he headed wide from Thiago Almada’s floated free-kick. Hearts were in Moroccan mouths not too long afterwards as…

France has provisionally been chosen to host the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The French Alps bid, put forward as the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) preferred vote in June, was approved on Wednesday – providing France provides financial guarantees. The French government has been unable to provide the necessary state and regional guarantees to the IOC because of the recent elections. France President Emmanuel Macron has said he will not name a new government until after the 2024 Olympics in Paris, which start this week. He said: “I confirm the full commitment of the French nation, and assure you that…

Canada women’s manager Beverly Priestman will not take charge of her side’s Olympics opener against New Zealand after two members of her backroom staff were sent home for allegedly flying a drone over the Kiwis’ team training session. Priestman, 38, has “voluntarily withdrawn” from Thursday’s match in St Etienne after the New Zealand Olympic Committee reported that a drone had been flown over their training session on Monday. Jasmine Mander, Priestman’s assistant, has been sent home along with “unaccredited analyst” Joseph Lombardi. The Canadian Olympic Committee say a scouting report filed by Lombardi was sent to Mander. Priestman says she…

French police have arrested a Russian man suspected of planning to destabilize the Olympics, the Paris prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday, just days before the Games begin. The 40-year-old man was detained on Tuesday after police raided his house at the request of the Interior Ministry, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. The evidence found at his home raised “fears of his intention to organize events likely to cause destabilization during the Olympic Games,” it said. Relations between France and Russia have been deteriorating for months as President Emmanuel Macron is a prominent critic of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine…

The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has apologized after a Canada Soccer staff member allegedly flew a drone over a New Zealand women’s football team training session. The incident happened on Monday in St Etienne, with the teams facing each other in Group A of the Olympic football tournament on Thursday. The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) said, external it reported the incident to police, leading to the drone operator being detained, adding it was “shocked and disappointed”. The COC later confirmed the “non-accredited member of the Canada Soccer support team” was detained by authorities. “The Canadian Olympic Committee stands for…

President Bola Tinubu has approved a N150,000 grant for business owners in Jigawa State. Vice President Kashim Shettima, while speaking at the launch of the AI Expertise Blockchain and Technology Training and Outsourcing Initiative in Dutse on Tuesday, said the grant was part of Nigeria’s strategy for digital transformation and leadership in Africa. Shettima said Nigeria was more than ready to surpass the rest of the world in economy and technology, the statement reads. He revealed that Tinubu had ordered that each business owner in the state receive a grant of N150,000. Shettima said the grant was part of the…

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, detained representatives of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in the National Assembly. The four officials detained were: Head of National Office, WAEC Nigeria, Amos Dangut, who represented the Registrar; Senior Deputy Registrar, Angus Okeleze; Acting Director of Finance, Victor Odu and Deputy Director of Finance, Segun Jerumeh. The decision of the committee to detain the four representatives of the regional examination body was sequel to a motion moved by a member of the Committee, Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo during an investigative hearing on Tuesday. Dangut had during his presentation stated categorically…

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he cannot be sure Ederson Moraes will remain at the club this summer. The Brazilian goalkeeper has been the subject of interest from the Saudi Pro League. Guardiola said at the end of last season he still regarded Ederson as his first-choice goalkeeper, even though he chose back-up Stefan Ortega for the first-leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid. Speaking after his side’s 4-3 friendly defeat by Celtic in North Carolina, Guardiola said: “I’d like him to stay but it depends on other clubs. “I don’t know the situation. There have been…

The National Minimum Wage Amendment Act, which introduces a new N70,000 national minimum wage, has been passed into law by the Senate. The Senate on Tuesday speedily passed the National Minimum Wage Act 2019 (Amendment Bill) This followed the presentation and adoption of a report on the bill by the leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti). The bill which was transmitted to the Senate by President Bola Tinubu on July 23 was given accelerated consideration, resulting in its first and second reading in line with Senate rule 80. Opeyemi in his lead debate on the general principles of the…