03092019 - FG weighs options as another $2.3bn fine looms

46 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019
Joshua 'disillusioned' ahead of
Ruiz rematch, says Hearn
FORMER heavyweight
boxing and Olmpic
champion, Nigerian-born
Briton, Anthony Joshua has
reportedly admitted to losing the
passion for a sport that has
enabled him to reach his ultimate
career heights.
As he prepares for his crucial
December 7 rematch against
Mexican-American Andy Ruiz Jr
the in the historic town of Diriyah
in Saudi Arabia, the British
champion admitted that he needs
to “get the passion back”.
Joshua suffered a shock
seventh-round knockout to Ruiz at
2019 Remita Cup: Unilever
edges Nestle to title
UNILEVER has lifted this year's Remita Corporate
Champions Cup (RC3) trophy after edging out
Nestle in the final match which was decided at the
Yabatech Sports Complex on Sunday. The match, which
was enjoyed by a near-capacity crowd, was as tactical
as it was exciting.
Fans of corporate football witnessed endless
entertainment at the grand finale, as Unilever team
converted four penalty kicks to deprive former
champions, Nestle of the dream of lifting the new
Koenig Trophy for the first time after a goalless draw
in regulation time.
Unilever defeated Friesland Campina and IHS
Towers en route the final while Nestle bested First
City Monument Bank (FCMB) and Union Bank to make
the final of the RC3, a tournament regarded by pundits
as the Champions League of corporate football due to
eligibility granted to winners and runners-up of
sectoral championships.
Madison Square Garden in New York
on June 1, his first career defeat in 23
fights.
That loss cost him the WBO, WBA, IBF
and IBO world titles, which he had
systematically and diligently collected
during a dominant span between 2016-
2019.
Now, as he attempts to rebuild his
reputation as a champion and wrest the
belts back from Ruiz, the Briton has cut
a sorry figure with the comments he has
made, particularly in his vitriol towards
former world heavyweight champion,
Lennox Lewis. Despite Lewis’ longstanding
support, Joshua called him a
“clown” who he does no respect.
•Joshua
I'll help budding sport's talent
rise to stardom — Ned Nwoko
By Festus Ahon
ONE of Nigeria's foremost philanthropists and sports
lover, Prince Ned Nwoko, has said Delta State is a home
of sports, promising to continue to promote sports and assist
budding sports talents in the State to showcase their skills
and rise to stardom in their chosen sport.
Nwoko, who stated this while addressing newsmen after
performing the kickoff ceremony of a football scouting trial
held at the Stephen Keshi stadium in Asaba, said, "What we
are doing here is trying to identity budding footballers,
sponsor their training and assist them to get contracts in
football clubs in Europe where they could fully showcase their
football skills and rise to stardom".
The 3-day trial organised by 60 Goals Global and sponsored
by Ned Nwoko Foundation, is to identify potential football
talents and assist them to get contracts in football clubs in
Europe and it involves participants from all the amateur
football clubsides in Delta State.
Morocco 2020: Official calls
for early camping for Para
powerlifters
THE Vice-President, Para Powerlifting Federation of
Nigeria (PPFN), Ruel Isiaku, says there is the need
for early camping and adequate training for athletes
to perform optimally at the 2020 All African Para Games in
Morocco. Isiaku told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
on Monday in Lagos that adequate training and early
release of funds for camping by the Federal Government
would boost athletes’ performance.
The Moroccan capital, Rabat, will host the first ever
African Para Games, which will act as a Tokyo 2020
Paralympic Games qualifier in some events.
“If the para athletes who will represent Nigeria are
properly trained and camped early, it will boost their
performance.
“We are doing our best but we want government to release
funds on time so that athletes will be put in camp.
“Before they go to camp they have to go on trial, those
qualified will be called to camp.
“They need to be called to camp and get prepared on
time; when they are in camp, they will be monitored, in
the last competition that we went in Kazakstan, their
performance was not too good.
Nigeria's Iganmu FC win
U-12 Soccer World Challenge
THE Iganmu Football Club have emerged the winners
of the Under-12 Junior Soccer World Challenge which
was decided Sunday in far away Osaka, Japan.
The Lagos based team, which represented Africa in the
annual soccer tournament, defeated Guangzhou R&F
Football Club from Germany 1-0 in the final match played
at the Panasonic Stadium in Osaka, Japan to lift the
championship's trophy.
It had earlier defeated Osaka FC 2-1and Bayern Munich
Junior team 1-0 at the semi final and quarter stages
respectively.
The championship was competed for by 32 teams drawn
from Europe, China, South Eastern Asia, USA, Africa and
Japan. The competition, which is being sponsored by
TOYOSHAMA & CO LTD and H.I.S in Japan, is an annual
event where future football stars are discovered by scouts.
Iganmu Football Club is an indigenous team fully owned
and financed by a Japan based Nigerian, Mr. Abayomi
Egbayelo born and brought up in Sari Iganmu, a community
in Apapa Iganmu Local Council Development Area (LCDA)
of Lagos State.