Sports
Nigerian Coaches protest
The indegenous soccer coaches of Nigeria have expressed misgivings about the recruitment of coaches by the National Sports Commission with- out putting the coaches body in the picture.Mr Samson Omagbemi, national president accused the NSC at a meeting with Nigerian Sports officials, of flouting the agreement reached be- tween it and his association early this year.
"The ex-sole administrator of the NSC, Alhaji Buba Ahmed and the ex general secretary of the Nigerian Football Association, Mr Yinka Okeowo are aware of this pact," he charged.
Mr Omagbemi said his association owed a duty to Nigeria to be able to vouch for the conduct of its members, adding that the performances of coaches Adegboyega Onigbende and Paul Hamilton are typical examples of the ability of indegenous coaches and warned that the NSC would have itself to blame if coaches employed outside the association's knowledge do not measure up to expectation.
"When precedence of progressive administration is laid, it must be followed" he advised.
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After the Kotoko victory
A 45-year-old ardent Kotoko fan who decided not to go to the Kumasi Sports Stadium because of the large crowd, died shortly after the match while celebrating his team's victory.Yahaya of Aboaba No.1, a suburb of Kumasi, who was riding his motorcycle, died soon after admission to the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi following an accident involving his motorcycle and a military vehicle at the Amakom roundabout in Kumasi. He has since been buried.
In another development, 38 persons were injured, seven seriously, during a stampede at the Kumasi Sports Stadium after a wall had collapsed and soldiers had allegedly fired into the rushing crowd.
Two out of the seven who are at the Hospital received gunshot wounds. The remaining 31 were treated and discharged while two of the victims who were admitted have absconded.
One of the patients on admission, Kwesi Adu, told the "Graphic", at his bedside, that a soldier who fired at him actually aimed at the crowd and that it was not a warning shot.
According to Adu, a soldier first cocked the rifle he was holding but when it failed him, he brought out a pistol and shot into the crowd, shooting his arm and ribs. According to him, all of them at the place were holding tickets.
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The Nigerian Football Association has slammed the door to Nigerian clubs wishing to take part in the Dallas Cup competition in the United States.
Mr Ron Griffith, member of the organising committee did not offer any explanation but said his committee insisted on the NFA's approval to ensure that several applications received from Nigeria were from recognised clubs.
He warned that in future only clubs that were recognised by the Supreme soccer body in their countries would be honoured.
In the past, many clubs from Nigeria registered for the competition without turning up.
The Organising committee of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles have allocated four places to each African country for press coverage.
A statement from Los Angeles asked all countries not satisfied with the allocation to lodge protests with their individual national Olympic committees.
The statement said such complaints must contain comprehensive lists of participating African countries and the number of journalists they intend sending to cover the games.
Such an exercise would enable African countries participating in the games but could not send the required number of journalists to Los Angeles to cede their places to others who could.
The National Olympic Committees are to co-ordinate with the International Olympic committee in this regard. The viewing rights have been bought by the American Broadcasting Companies, ABC.
Kotoko draw a bye
African clubs champions Asante Kotoko have drawn a bye in the preliminary round and will open their defence of the continental title against the winner of the encounter between Equatorial Guinea and Angola in the one-sixteenth finals.If Kotoko win this match they will take on the winner of the Ivory Coast/ Togo match in the one-eighth finals.
Mr Omagbemi said the terms of the agreement stated that no coach could be employed by the NSC without approval of both the NSC and the association and that the coach must be a registered member of the association.
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Similarly, knock-out champions Great Olympics, who have also drawn a bye in the preliminary round of the Cup Winners Cup competition, will meet their Malian counterparts in the one-sixteenth finals and then face the winner of the Ivory Coast/Benin match in the one-eight finals, should they win the one-sixteenth encounter.
Chief Ordia Honoured
A veteran Nigerian sports administrator, Chief Abraham Ordia, has been made honorary president of the supreme council for sports in Africa, (SCSA).The honour, which was conferred on him at the recently concluded assembly of the Council in Ouagadougou, Upper Volta, was in recognition of his past services.
The minister of national Guidance, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, announced this at a press conference in Lagos, while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the assembly meeting.
Alhaji Yusuf, who led the country's team to the Ouagadougou meeting, stated that his delegation failed in its efforts to get Chief Ordia re-elected as president of the council and attributed this to the proposed restructuring of the composition of the council eliminating any person of non ministerial rank ever again becoming the president of the organisation. The minister, however, pointed out that his delegation used the occasion to demand a 'befitting exit' for the incumbent president.
Alhaji Yusuf also disclosed that consideration of the proposals for the restructuring of the council was deferred till the next general arcombly meeting
