Sports
Federation of African University Games 2024: A veritable ground for African sports talents
By Dr. Salau Dee Elf (NUGA Publicity Liaison Officer 1993-2001)
The Federation of African Universities Sports (FASI), the body that is in charge of Organisation of Sports competitions within Universities in Africa. Many sports stars have been discovered in various Sports for many African Countries. The popular athlete Chidi Imo, Olapade Adeniken and others who competed and won many medals for Nigeria in Athletics are products of Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA)
In Football, Adokie Amesimaka, a Law Students of the University of Portharcourt, Mutiu Adepoju of the University of Ibadan, Super Eagles Midfielder Seyi Olofinjana of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso among others were University stars who performed wonderfully for the National Football Team.
Many others in other national sports who were stars in their Sports competed and won laurels for Nigeria in their various Sports. It is very easy to Coach University Students in Sports due to their level of education and exposure.
However, with the turn of quick and fast results in Football and other sports, institutional sports was relegated to the background. Most American draft into American Professional Baseball are from American Colleges/Universities. The same is also the case with Athletics and other major sports. Their Institutional Sports are well organised and well supported by private organisations. Their star players/Athletes are not only well supported but are monitored to know their growth.
With this background it will be worthwhile for Nigeria to ensure her Institutional Sports such as the NUGA, Nigerian Polytheistic Games Association (NIPOGA), Nigerian Colleges of Education Games Association (NICEGA) and School Sports Federation of Nigeria (SSFN) are properly supported and funded to become the grass root for the production of star sportsmen and women in Nigeria.
Come September 20th to 29th 2024 this year, two Nigerian Universities will host the 11th FASU Games. The University of Lagos, (UNILAG) Akoka Lagos and Lagos State University, (LASU) Ojo Lagos will Co-host this 11th Edition of the Games.
About 100 Universities from different Countries in Africa with more than 3,500 sportsmen and women with about 1,000 officials will be at the Games. It will be an avenue for the athletes to showcase their talents during the FASU Conmpetitions.
It will be recalled that Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University(ATBU), Bauchi hosted the 4th edition of the Games in 1996. The Federal and Bauchi State Governments fully supported NUGA and ATBU. As the NUGA Press Officer then, we worked directly with Alhaji Sani Toro, then Bauchi State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, who made the State work tirelessly for the success of the FASU Games.
The hosting of the FASU is an opportunity for Nigerian Universities to showcase the talents they have, win laurels and eventually become stars in their respective sports for Nigeria. Other Universities in Africa are also coming to compete for laurels and expose their athletes.
The success of this FASU Games highly lies in the organisational efforts of the joint host Universities, the Lagos State and Federal Governments. The outside influence that will also come handy for the Games is the power of the organisers to seek sponsorship for the Games.
The greater import of the Games is for Nigeria to deliberately scout for potential stars in different sports for the country. This will be a great opportunity for the country to get back to its original grassroots way of catching the sports stars young and turning them to stars.
So obviously, the FASU Games being jointly hosted by UNILAG and LASU Is not only a good opportunity for Nigeria to showcase good brotherliness to her African brothers and Sisters, but an opportunity to grow its sports industry.
With the return of Nigeria to Institutional Sports through this September 20th to 29th FASU Games, we hope Nigeria will get it right.
Dr Salau Dee Elf writes from Lagos | [email protected]
Defeat for Portugal at the European Championship on Friday likely brought down the curtain on the extraordinary international career of Cristiano Ronaldo.
While Portugal’s totemic forward has made no pronouncements on his future with the national team, the 39-year-old struggled to revive former glories at the tournament in Germany.
He departed Euro 2024 without scoring apart from in shootouts.
Portugal lost 3-5 to France on penalties in their quarter-final.
This was after a goalless stalemate in which Ronaldo missed a glaring chance in extra time but converted one of the kicks in the shootout.
“It’s too soon and raw after the match to talk about that and there have been no individual decisions made,” coach Roberto Martinez said when asked if it had been Ronaldo’s last game in a Portugal jersey.
There will forever be debates about where he sits among the greatest footballers.
In or behind the exulted company of three-times World Cup winner Pele or the extraordinary talent of Diego Maradona or long-time rival Lionel Messi.
All of them won the World Cup, which Ronaldo has not, but in terms of statistics in national team colours the 39-year-old is out there on his own.
Friday’s loss to France at the Volksparkstadion was Ronaldo’s 212th cap, significantly ahead of Messi who won his 185th for Argentina against Ecuador in the Copa America on Thursday.
Ronaldo’s 130 goals for his country is also way out on its own at the head of most scored in international football, with Messi recently moving second on the list with 108.
“Cristiano is in the national team of Portugal because he deserves to be,” Martinez had said earlier in the tournament.
In terms of longevity few can match Ronaldo, who debuted for Portugal in 2003.
He was 18 years-old when he came on at halftime to replace Luis Figo in a friendly against Kazakhstan in front of roughly 8,000 in Chaves.
Days earlier he had signed for Manchester United, convincing manager Alex Ferguson of his potential after tormenting the team’s defence in a pre-season friendly.
By the next year he was a regular for Portugal as they hosted Euro 2004, upset in the final by Greece.
He is the first to play at six European Championships and his 14 goals in 30 matches is also a Euros record.
He won the trophy in 2016 when Portugal beat hosts France in the final.
Ironically, in Portugal’s Euros triumph Ronaldo went off early in the decider in Paris in tears with a knee injury.
If you add his goals in Euro qualifying, Ronaldo has scored 55 times in the competition, with Harry Kane next on 29.
At the World Cup, Ronaldo has played 22 times, scoring eight goals in five tournaments, while Messi has played four times more and has the appearance record.
In the 21 years Ronaldo has played for Portugal, they have not missed out on qualifying for the World Cup, with a semi-final place in 2006 their best return.
That year, Ronaldo netted the decisive penalty to beat England in the quarter-finals.
It has been an extraordinary career, highlighted by five Ballon d’Or awards, and it is not over yet … certainly not at club level.
Ronaldo top-scored with 35 goals in the Saudi league last season and has another year’s contract at Al Nassr.
Canada claimed a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Venezuela on Friday to reach the Copa America semi-finals for the first time after an absorbing contest finished 1-1 at the AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas.
With the teams all square after five attempts each in the shootout, Wilker Angel had his spot-kick saved by Maxime Crepeau and Ismael Kone buried the winning penalty to send Canada through.
“Emotions are running high, I’m so happy for everyone who is supporting us,” Crepeau, who made two saves in the shootout, told Fox Sports.
“It’s a lot of work and now we have the fruit of our hard work. This is amazing to be in the semi-finals of Copa America. I think everybody needs to realise this country and its footballers deserve respect.”
Canada, playing in their first Copa America, will face Argentina in New Jersey on Tuesday for a chance to play in the July 14 final.
The semi-final will be a rematch of the tournament’s opener, in which the defending champions Argentina claimed a 2-0 win.
Canada, who scored just one goal across their three group stage matches, began the match with uncharacteristic urgency.
Their pressure paid off in the 13th minute as Jacob Shaffelburg steered home a Jonathan David cross.
After scoring, Shaffelburg held up the jersey of teammate Tajon Buchanan, who suffered a broken leg in training this week.
Jesse Marsch’s side wasted several chances to extend their lead in the first half, with Shaffelburg testing goalkeeper Rafael Romo from the edge of the area.
While David sent an effort wide of the post after finding himself through one-on-one.
Venezuela pressed for a goal and had more possession, but were largely limited to speculative crosses and shots from range.
All-time leading goalscorer Salomon Rondon twice drawing saves from Crepeau.
Canada’s Cyle Larin fired over the bar from close range in the 52nd minute.
Two minutes later, a rebound fell at the feet of Venezuela’s Jose Martinez in the penalty area at the other end, but his effort also went high.
Venezuela finally found the equaliser in the 64th minute through Rondon, who spotted Canada’s Crepeau off his line and produced an audacious lob that sailed over the scrambling goalkeeper into the empty net.
It was the former Everton and Newcastle United striker’s 44th goal for Venezuela.
Canada responded well to the equaliser and substitute Liam Millar had an effort from a tight angle saved in the 67th minute before Tani Oluwaseyi sent two shots over the crossbar in the span of four minutes.
But neither side was able to find the winner in regulation time.
Venezuela’s exit comes after their perfect group stage campaign, in which they won all three matches.
Their performance at the Copa America bodes well for manager Fernando Batista’s primary aim of earning qualification for a first-ever World Cup.
“This is a long process,” Batista said, through an interpreter.
“We have a huge dream that we’re going for, all Venezuelans want to qualify for the World Cup. And the Copa America gave us a possibility of strengthening our squad.”
After the first six qualifying matches, Venezuela sit fourth in the race for six automatic berths from CONMEBOL for the 2026 World Cup.
Spain have knocked out Germany from Euro 2024 thanks to a 2-1 win in Stuttgart on Friday.
La Roja took the lead in the second half after Dani Olmo slammed home Yamine Lamal’s low cross.
But the hosts levelled with one minute left in regulation time, thanks to Florian Wirtz’s smart volley.
With the game heading to penalties, Mikel Merino rose highest to head in Olmo’s cross.
The victory has cemented a spot for the three-time Euros winner in the semi-finals.
They will now face either France or Portugal for a place in the final.
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