Author: Abdulgafar Oladimeji

Abdulgafar Oladimeji is a sports writer with over two decades experience in the industry. As a reporter , he has worked with top major Nigerian newspapers, freelancer with newspaper and broadcast media organizations in Africa, Europe and America. He is a well travelled sports journalists reporting major sports events across the globe.

Côte d’Ivoire 2025: Flying Eagles now to confront Ivorian Elephants in two games Following the circumstantial cancellation of the planned friendly matches between the Nigeria U20 team and their Egyptian counterparts, the Nigeria Football Federation has secured a replacement team, in order for the Flying Eagles not to leave camp without testing their strength ahead of the forthcoming Africa U20 Cup of Nations. The seven-time African champions will now play AFCON host nation, Cote d’Ivoire in two matches scheduled for Wednesday, 26th February and Friday, 28th February 2025 in the Ivorian capital. Aliyu Lawal Ibrahim, Team Administrator of the Nigeria U20 side confirmed…

Read More

Fortunato breaks world indoor 5000m race walk record in Ancona  European bronze medallist Francesco Fortunato smashed the long-standing world indoor 5000m race walk record at the Italian Indoor Championships in Ancona, clocking 17:55.65*. The 30-year-old covered the first kilometre in 3:39.6, then increased the pace to reach 2000m in 7:16.9. He went through 3000m in 10:54 and covered the final kilometre in a swift 3:29 to cross the finish line in 17:55.65, taking more than 11 seconds off Mikhail Schennikov’s world indoor record set 30 years ago. “It was a dream to improve the Italian record, so it’s crazy that…

Read More

FIFA confirms Coca-Cola Company as  Club World Cup 2025 partner A long-time FIFA Partner and a sponsor of the FIFA World Cup since the 1978 edition, The Coca-Cola Company looks forward to continuing its partnership by activating the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. Fans of 32 of the best-performing clubs on the planet can expect to encounter exclusive experiences and programmes as part of Coca-Cola’s activation across US cities and elsewhere around the world when the groundbreaking tournament takes place in June and July 2025. “The Coca-Cola Company has been involved in stadium advertising at every FIFA World Cup since…

Read More

Nigeria Rugby Football Federation Unveils 2025 Calendar of Events . To host general assembly in April The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) hasrolled out its calendar of activities for the year 2025. NRFF media sources said  the activities for the 2025 calendar year  would be the  mix of local and international tournaments, training programs, and developmental initiatives targeted  to growing the game. “Rugby Rising Play Nigeria Launch (15 States) Kicking off the year on February 10, the Rugby Rising Play Nigeria initiative will be launched across 15 states, marking a significant step in grassroots rugby development. “National 15s League Season (South…

Read More

World Athletics’ focus on innovation makes strides with test events in Düsseldorf and Berlin  As part of World Athletics’ focus on innovation, a key pillar of its four-year strategic plan Pioneering Change (2024-2027), the long jump take-off zone was recently tested during World Athletics Indoor Tour competition for the first time. Sport development is important to ensure relevance, entertainment and excitement continue to drive competitions by using new technology, processes, systems, research and data to enhance the appeal and impact of competitions across the globe. A take-off zone for horizontal jumps is among a raft of innovations being developed and…

Read More

UEFA round of 16,  Arsenal to trade tackles against PSV, Madrid vs Alleti, Liverpool vs Paris The draws of the UEFA champions league round of 16 has thrown up good matches that would thrill football fans  from across the globe. The matches fixed to kick off on March 4 are as follows, Round of 16 ties 4 & 12 March Club Brugge vs Aston Villa Borussia Dortmund vs Lille PSV vs Arsenal Real Madrid vs Atleti 5 & 11 March Feyenoord vs Inter Bayern München vs Leverkusen Benfica vs Barcelona Paris vs Liverpool The quarter-finals match schedule will be communicated on…

Read More

ITF confirms 2025 Qualifiers schedules for  Jean King cup  The schedules for the six 2025 Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Qualifiers have been confirmed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Billie Jean King Cup Limited. Each Qualifiers event will be held in one location over three days on either 10-12 or 11-13 April, with the host nation having choice of surface. The six group winners will join hosts China and 2024 world champions Italy at the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Finals. In January, Shenzhen was confirmed as the host of the Billie Jean King Cup…

Read More

By Abdulgafar Oladimeji The failed move by  the reigning Africa’s  best football leg , Ademola Lookman to join French giants, Paris Saint -Germain , PSG have been disclosed  to be responsible for his  bitter relationship with  Atalanta ‘s manager Gian Piero Gasperini. Lookman was alleged to have been approached by  the Parisian Princes,  in the summer, this move had incite the Atalanta handler to anger . The Atalantians were annoyed that PSG approached the player  before speaking to the club. The development had led to a sour relationship between the player and coach Gian Piero Gasperini, the relationship between the…

Read More

By Abdulgafar Oladimeji Nigeria’s  top military officers  billed to lead  the Nigerian  military  sports   entourage to the 2025 edition of the  Invictus Winter Games were denied entry  visas to attend one of the most prestigious global military sports  fiesta organized   to honour war veterans. The entourage to the games  from  Africa’s largest sporting nation were  billed to be led by the country’s Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR, who is the highest military ranking officer in Nigerian military hierarchy . The Nigerian delegation comprising of over 70 officers were scheduled to be led by the CDS…

Read More

NFF  set to unveil Carloha  as it’s  new  automobile partner The Nigeria Football Federation and Carloha, exclusive dealer and franchise holder of Chery vehicles in Nigeria, will on Wednesday sign a partnership agreement that will make Carloha the official automobile partner of the NFF and the National Teams. The contract-signing ceremony will take place at the automobile company’s Lagos office, and will have in attendance, top officials of the NFF and chieftains of Carloha. President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau said the football-governing body is excited about the partnership with the car-dealers. “This is a step in the right…

Read More