February 17, 1986

Sports

Ghana-Nigeria renew soccer rivalry

The Ghana-Nigeria rivalry for soccer supremacy will provide the highlights of the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa (SCSA) zone three championship in Accra from February 22 to March 1. The Green Eagles have beaten Ghana's Black Stars on two consecutive occasions. Nigeria beat Ghana in the 1984 African Cup of Nations championship in Ivory Coast, and eliminated the Black Stars from the 1984 Olympic Games qualifying series.

Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso are competing in the competition. The Black Stars of Ghana are the defending champions.

Three African referees for World Cup

Three African referees have been named in a list of 36 referees appointed by the International Football Federation to officiate in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico from May 29 to June 29. They are Iddrissa Traore (Mali), Edwin Piconackong (Mauritius), and Ali Ben Naceur (Tunisia). Europe top the list with 19 referees, South America have six, North Central Caribbean (CONCACAF) four, Asia three, and Oceania one.

By tradition, FIFA appoints referees from countries that never qualified for the championship. In 1982, Mr Ben Dwemoh of Ghana became the first African to handle a World Cup game when he officiated in the Czechoslovakia-Kuwait match in Spain.

Azumah - McGuigan challenge

Azumah Nelson has renewed his challenge to the man who holds the other half of the world featherweight crown to face him in a championship contest to settle the long- standing dispute once and for all.

"McGuigan is just half a champion - and that is all he'll ever be until he has the guts to face me," the Ghanaian World Boxing Council champion said in the United States where he is preparing for his February 25 title defence against Marcos Villassana of Mexico.

"What everyone in boxing wants to know is who is the real featherweight champion. Fans in England have seen me in action and the only way to prove who is the real world number one is for me and McGuigan to get into the same ring.

"I am ready to do that anytime he wants but McGuigan keeps ducking me. One thing I do know about boxing - you can run but you can't hide. I'll get him into the ring this year, that I know. "And when that happens it will be the day Ireland's great white hope is destroyed."

The Ghanaian world king first issued the challenge when in Britain for his first round knock-out of Pat Cowdell. Both Don King and Frank Warren offered staggering sums for the right to stage the contest but were turned down by the McGuigan camp.

GFA bans Kotoko from Kumasi Stadium

The Ghana Football Assocation has barred two-times African champions, Fabulous Asante Kotoko, from using the Kumasi Sports Stadium as their home ground for four consecutive league matches. The ban followed the riotous behaviour of football fans during the club's league match with Okwahu United at which considerable damage was done to life and property. In a reaction Kotoko have threatened to pull out of the league if the GFA did not rescind the decision.

Mr Ofori Nuako, chairman of the club, has intimated that Kotoko will seek redress from the Appeals Committee of the National Sports Council. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Weightlifters called to camp

Amateur Weightlifters Association of Nigeria has invited 15 lifters to camp in preparation for the 13th Commonwealth Games, scheduled for Edinburgh, Scotland. The invited lifters are to report to camp immediately with their equipments.

According to the secretary of the Association, Mr M.I. Osime, the lifters were selected following their performances at both the Sixth National Sports Festival and the just concluded Fifth National Senior Weightlifting Championships. Among those invited include Nyong Peter (Plateau), Segun Lawson (Bauchi), Salilu Nuru (Plateau), Lawrence Iquaibom (Lagos), Patrick Bassey (Bauchi), Jimmy Idongesit (Bauchi), Muyiwa Odusanya (Oyo), and Bassey Enne (Lagos). Others are Kayode Balofin (Kwara), Emmanuel Oshomah (Lagos), Oduyebo Afolabi (Sokoto), Aduche Ojadi (Rivers), Datop Simeon (Plateau), Batholomew Oluoma (Lagos), and Salawu Dauda (Sokoto).

The lifters will be handled by the national coach, Ivan Ganev, to be assisted by Cosmas S. Idoh, a coach from Sokoto State.

Nigeria to build boxing Secretariat

Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBBC) has pledged to build a Secretariat of International standard at its newly acquired land situated at Owode Onirin in the outskirts of Lagos.

Modern facilities will also be provided at the secretariat which will include a modern gymnasium for the use of Nigerian boxers.

These hints were given to the Sketch Sports in Lagos by the President of the NBBC, Chief Ralph Ogunbufunmi.

Chief Ogunbufunmi stated that arrangements had been on to erect the secretariat adding that the board was financially handicapped.

Volleyball verdict

Nigeria has been invited to hear the verdict of her protest over a Ghanaian referee's officiating in the African Clubs Champions in the zone three final match involving Nigeria's flag-bearers Super Stars Volleyball club of Kano and their Ghanaian counterparts in Accra last December. The organising committee of zone three will be meeting in Ivory Coast at a date yet to be announced to give a ruling on the protest. Nigeria Amateur Volleyball Association Secretary Mr Alex Onyenwenwa said that send a Nigeria had been requested to Abidjan hear representative to committee's verdict which will either award the match to Nigeria or Ghana or order a replay

Gate fees

A total sum of N173,690.87 was paid in to the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) from state associations as 10% of their gate takings during the concluded 1985 national league.

The figure was contained in a communique issued by the NFA after their recently held full council meeting.

Commenting on the amount, the full council observed that this sum is not a "true reflection of the spectator particpation in the game of football in the country.""

Nigeria to box Cuba

Nigeria's preparedness in the next Commonwealth Games boxing tournament scheduled for Edinburgh, Scotland, will be known when the national boxing team takes on the visiting Cuban team inside the Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, on February 17.

The Cubans, who are expected in the country on Saturday, will be coming with a crack team comprising top flight amateur boxers.

According to the chairman of the Nigeria Amateur Boxing Association, Colonel Whytet Ukor, "this is one of the international tournaments arranged to keep our boys in shape for the Commonwealth Games."

Col. Ukor said apart from keeping them in shape, it would also expose them to new techniques.