GLOBAL ASSOCIATION NEWS
UEFA President, Aleksander Ceferin has accepted “not everything was perfect” for fans after criticism about the Champions League final in Istanbul.
There were reports of fans having to walk extended distances along busy roads, queue for hours for transport to and from the stadium and being left without water as Manchester City beat Inter Milan tenth June.
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Athletes appeared to be teleported on stage and a larger-than-life projection of the IOC president addressed the crowd as the first-ever Olympic Esports Week kicked off in Singapore on Thursday.
The International Olympic Committee officially recognised eSports as a sport in 2017 and has been in discussions with industry players about inclusion on the most prestigious stage.
ESports will be a medal sport for the first time at the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, but an IOC official said on Thursday there is currently no plan to include video games in the Olympic program.
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The International Olympic Committee on Thursday withdrew its recognition of boxing’s governing body, the International Boxing Association, but said the sport would be on the programme at the 2024 and 2028 Games in Paris and Los Angeles.
The IOC executive board voted by 69 votes to one, with 10 abstentions, to expel the IBA from the Olympic Movement in a seismic move for the sport.
However, the IBA hit back with a strongly-worded statement, comparing their expulsion to Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.
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Olympic chief Thomas Bach has criticised the Ukrainian government for “sanctioning” its own athletes by not allowing them to compete in recent global competitions.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus have faced sanctions from a multitude of sports since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year.
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NIGERIA
Super Falcons striker Dersir Oparonzie says she is confident that the nine-time Africa champions will progress from their group stage and make it to the next round of the tournament.
The world’s biggest women’s football tournament holds from twentieth July to twentieth August in Australia and New Zealand.
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Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has congratulated Bendel Insurance for winning the 2023 men’s Federation Cup.
Insurance defeated old foes Enugu Rangers one-nil courtesy of Oasrenkhoe Imade’s strike from the spot in the final in Asaba, Delta State.
Also, Bayelsa Queens, winners of the women’s Federation Cup, were commended by Governor, Douye Diri, who hailed them for successfully defending their title.
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Former Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo says he would be interested to play in the Nigeria Premier League again.
Ighalo is a free agent after leaving Saudi Arabia’s Professional League club, Al Hilal, last month.
He played for local clubs Prime FC and Julius Berger before starting his professional career in Europe in 2007.
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The Gombe State Football Association, says plans are underway to organise a football competition for youths in the state.
Its Chairman, Yakubu Sarma, who stated this, said the competition would focus on youths from under -nineteen years across the twenty-four constituencies in the state.
He said the competition would hold between July and September, adding that it will guide the youths against drugs and crimes.”
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ENGLAND
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West Ham expect Manchester City to make an offer for Declan Rice following Ilkay Gundogan’s decision to join
Barcelona.
Manchester City are weighing up an official move for the Hammers skipper with the London club now anticipating that one is imminent.
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Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta believes Declan Rice is a future captain of the team, with the Gunners preparing
a third bid for the West Ham star.
Arsenal have already seen two bids for Rice turned down, the latest a bid worth ninety million pounds Rice’s preference has been to join the Emirates Stadium club.
West Ham want a minimum one hundred million pounds for their England international, whilst they also prefer the guaranteed portion of the fee to be paid in two instalments by the end of 2025.
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Arsenal midfielder, Thomas Partey has approved a potential move to Juventus with the player expected to turn down offers from Saudi Arabia.
Partey’s entourage have reached an agreement with the Serie A club on personal terms.
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Fulham have reportedly emerged as serious contenders to sign Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse following the side’s relegation to the Championship.
Ward-Prowse is expected to leave St Mary’s this summer and has attracted attention from Liverpool and West Ham, but the Cottagers are reportedly the team in the box seat.
The club are believed to be seeking a fee in the region of fifty million pounds for the England international, who has made a total of four hundred and nine appearances in a twelve year Saints career.
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Chelsea have reportedly bought a stake in Ligue 1 club Strasbourg, as owner Todd Boehly seeks to develop a multi-
club model.
The deal, which is reportedly worth sixty-five million pounds could be announced on Friday.
Co-owner and Chairman Todd Boehly has been keen on a multi-club model for some time.
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Chelsea are ready to return with a bid for Brighton midfielder, Moises Caicedo as they offload Kai Havertz to Arsenal plus Hakim Ziyech, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy to Saudi Arabia for a combined fee of around one hundred and seven million pounds.
The Blues were planning to step up talks for Caicedo after a sixty million pounds offer was rejected two weeks ago, with the Seagulls seeking more than eighty million pounds for their star man.
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Mohamed Salah could be the next high-profile player to make a move to the Middle East after a Saudi Arabian official urged clubs to go after the Liverpool star.
Notable names joining Cristiano Ronaldo, who signed up for the project in December after his acrimonious divorce from Manchester United, have been Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante.
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Newcastle remain in negotiations with AC Milan over the fifty-five million pounds transfer of Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali.
Sporting director, Dan Ashworth and head of recruitment, Steve Nickson held talks with Milan executives and Tonali’s agent Giuseppe Rio at the Palazzo Parigi Hotel.
Tonali and his agent are expected to meet him on Friday to finalise details ahead of any deal being signed off and medicals taking place.
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Tottenham have agreed a seventeen point two million pounds fee with Empoli for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
Vicario is due in London this weekend to undergo a medical ahead of signing a five-year contract.
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Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust say they are “highly disappointed” after the club announced a sponsorship deal with an online betting firm.
The Trust said Aston Villa had not listened to “legitimate concerns about gambling sponsorship in sports”.
The team has signed a three-year partnership with Asia-based BK8.
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Liverpool midfielder, Curtis Jones says the current England Under-twenty-one side is “one of the best he have seen” after they opened their European Championship campaign with two-nil victory over the Czech Republic.
Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey scored the opener early in the second half, before Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe sealed victory deep into stoppage time.
Lee Carsley’s side, who are now in a strong position to reach the knockout stage, face Israel in their next group match on Sunday.
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OTHER SPORTS
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In Cricket; England spinner Sophie Ecclestone’s three wickets left the one-off Test against Australia evenly poised after the first day at Trent Bridge.
After winning the toss, Australia were in control at 226-3 before losing three wickets for 12 runs in the space of 24 balls, including all-rounder Ellyse Perry for 99, as England pulled it back on the opening day of the multi-format Women’s Ashes series.
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In Boxing; The International Olympic Committee has voted to strip the International Boxing Association of its status as the sport’s world governing body.
The IOC’s executive board recommended the move earlier in June after the IBA failed to meet set reforms following its 2019 suspension over governance issues and alleged corruption.
Of 70 valid votes on Thursday, 69 voted in favour of the recommendation.
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In Tennis; Top seed Carlos Alcaraz reached his first career quarter-final on grass with a straight-set victory at Queen’s over Jiri Lehecka.
Alcaraz, cruised past his Czech opponent 6-2, 6-3.
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Venus Williams’ short but unexpected run at the Birmingham Classic came to an end with defeat by second seed Jelena Ostapenko in a three-set thriller.
The American fought tenaciously but lost 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 at the Wimbledon warm-up event.
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OTHER LEAGUES
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Lionel Messi has reportedly told Kylian Mbappe he deserves ‘a real winning project’ in an apparent dig at PSG before joining Inter Miami, as intense speculation surrounds the French superstar’s future.
The explosive revelation comes from Spanish outlet Defensa Central, who claim the Argentine confided to Mbappe his wish for him to join Barcelona instead of Real Madrid .
But Messi ultimately implored Mbappe to play for a club who will compete for the biggest trophies in European football.
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Inter Milan striker Edin Dzeko has signed for two years with Fenerbahce, the Turkish giants announced on Thursday.
Dzeko, who lost the Champions League final with Inter to Manchester City in Istanbul earlier this month, will receive four point six million dollars per season.
Dzeko scored fourteen goals in all competitions for Inter last season, but was out of contract with the side he joined from Serie A rivals Roma in 2021.
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The Republic of Ireland fought back from a goal down to defeat Zambia three-two in a World Cup warm-up match in Dublin.
Zambia took a shock lead in the seventeen minute when unfortunate goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan put into her own net.
Amber Barrett netted a penalty early in the second half before Claire O’Riordan’s powerful header put the hosts in front.
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