Sports
UNITED BY SPORT: Nigeria celebrates the 70th anniversary of Olympic Day
In a bid to raise awareness on the vital role sport and physical activity play in society, the International Olympics Committee alongside the Nigerian Olympics Committee hosted the 70th anniversary of the Olympic Day in Lagos and three other states across Nigeria.
Olympic Day is an annual, global celebration that takes place on June 23rd. Every year, it sees millions of people – of all ages and from all walks of life – get active and participate in sporting, educational and cultural activities, encouraging them to enjoy and benefit from sport.
To mark the 70th anniversary, this year’s Olympic Day theme is “United By”, which aims to highlight how sport has the power to unite regardless of age, gender, religion, nationality, ability, and works to build a unified celebration of Olympic Ideas and values.
In the spirit of global peace and unity, Nigeria Olympic Committee is joining Olympic athletes, leaders of sport and members of the general public of all ages and abilities across Nigeria to celebrate the International Olympic Day.
The Olympic Day in Nigeria was held across four states, Lagos, Abuja, Bayelsa and Plateau state with participants engaging in sporting activities such as a 5km race, gymnastics, track and field events and Paralympic sports, including sports which are unusual or difficult to access. People of all ages took part, whatever their ability, with a chance to enjoy rare and prestigious encounters with athletes; take part in craft and cultural workshops; attend different sports demonstrations.
Speaking at the 70th Olympic Day Anniversary Celebration in Lagos, Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) Secretary General, Tunde Popoola said: “Olympism is about togetherness; it’s about peace, doing well, and avoiding any wrong doing. To the children here today, you are the future of Nigeria, you are the future of this country, and we encourage you to take sports home, take it to your heart, practice it, and teach it to those just like you who are not here today, and one day, maybe one day, we believe you will represent Nigeria at the modern day Olympic Games.”
Globally, National Olympic Committees, International and National Sports Federations, Organizing Committees of Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games, National Olympian Associations and Young Ambassador’s around the world have been organizing and participating in a myriad of Olympic Day activities to promote a healthy and active lifestyle, in the lead up to June 23rd.
Speaking about the 70th Olympic Day anniversary, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Thomas Bach said “We’re living in a world where the Olympic values of tolerance, respect, understanding and peace are more important than ever. We have the determination and the courage and the will to promote and defend these values.”
“In sport, we are all equal. This is why everyone is invited to celebrate our shared values, to celebrate the best of the human spirit, to celebrate our unity in diversity. Sport plays a unique role to put the values of peace, solidarity and respect into action
Sport has the power to unite through passion, teamwork, commitment, loss and victory. It unites by creating a shared well-being of body and mind.
United By celebrates the power of Olympism to have a lasting positive impact on people’s well-being – physically, mentally and socially – every day. It shows the values of Olympism and the global community it creates, building lifelong relationships that foster mutual respect amongst all.
Continuing the Olympism theme in 2018, the IOC is launching its first Olympism in Action Forum (OiAF) in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 5 and 6 October 2018.
The OiAF will bring together stakeholders across the Olympic Movement and society to open new dialogues, discuss global challenges, and share innovative experiences and inspiring stories to further mobilize sport to create a better world.
Sports
QNET and Man City Mark 10th Anniversary of their Partnership
Man City counts 28 trophies in the last 10 yearsQNET, an Asian direct selling giant and Manchester City, a top Football club in and outside England, are celebrating 10 years of partnership with great results.
The anniversary was part of the 26th V-Malaysia Conference (VCON) at Penang in Malaysia.
The long-standing partnership will see QNET continue as Official Direct Selling Partner for City’s men’s and women’s teams, according to Techeconomy report.
This partnership marked a significant milestone in May 2018 when City welcomed QNET as the first sleeve partner in the Women’s Super League.
Throughout the next phase of this partnership QNET will continue to provide City-led football clinics to communities around the world, as well as engaging with consumers and distributors through this relationship with City.
In a message to the leaders of QNET and the 8,000 VCON participants from over 30 countries, Ferran Soriano, the chief executive officer of Manchester City FC, said they are pleased to achieve great milestones that would not have been possible without the support and the commitment of everybody at QNET, “and every single one of you. I do remember back in 2014 when I met the leadership of QNET for the first time, and we discussed our plans, our ambitions, and we promised a lot.
“We promised that Manchester City would be a great football team, and that they would play beautiful football. Now, 10 years since then, we hold 28 trophies. I have to be honest and say that when we promised we were going to do well, we didn’t think we were going to win 28 trophies.
“We’re excited now we’re starting a new season, and guess what? We want to win again, and if we do, it would be another record. Maybe we can win the fifth Premier League in a row. Obviously, something that hasn’t happened before. I can promise that we will fight for all the trophies like you fight for all your objectives. Manchester City and QNET have the incredible power to engage people from every country, create a sense of community and empower individuals and teams to achieve their aspirations”.
He promised Manchester City’s support to the QNET brand to achieve even more successes in the coming years.
Trevor Kuna, the CEO of QNET said that the partnership with Manchester City has made positive impacts on the business.
QNET’s grass-roots business model enables ordinary people from all walks of life to start their own business with minimal overhead.
With hard work and dedication, QNET distributors, known as Independent Representatives (IRs) have the opportunity to become economically self-sufficient, raising the standard of life for their families and communities.
QNET is driven by two important philosophies: RYTHM (Raise Yourself to Help Mankind) and InService.
Meanwhile, the highlight of the QNET and Manchester City celebration was the presentation of a 10-year partnership anniversary plaque by John Kirton, senior partnership marketing manager, Manchester City Football Club to the QNET team.
Sports
Robinho To Serve A 9 Year Jail Term Over Gang Rape
Former Manchester City and Real Madrid striker Robinho will reportedly serve a nine-year jail sentence for gang rape – Imposed on him by an Italian court — in Brazil, judges in Brasilia has ruled.
The 40-year-old was found guilty in Italy in 2017 and according to Globo, Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice (BSCJ), made the ruling on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.
The former Premier League player, whose real name is Robson De Souza, was one of six men who were found guilty of a§§aulting an Albanian woman in an Italian nightclub in January 2013.
In January 2022, the Supreme Court in Rome dismissed his final appeal against the conviction, according to the report.
Robinho claims he is innocent and has been living in Brazil for the past seven years. It came after nine of the court’s 15 ministers had voted in favour of the decision to incarcerate the footballer in Brazil.
Globo also claims that the ex-footballer, who also spent time at AC Milan and Real Madrid, will now be arrested in Santos, where he currently resides.
Robinho, who was 28 and was playing for AC Milan at the time, admitted during his appeal to having ‘contact’ with the woman, but the Brazilian insisted it was consensual.
The Milan Court of Appeals found Robinho had ‘belittled’ and ‘br¥tally h¥miliated’ the victim as it upheld his original sentence in December 2020.
Intercepted phone calls between the Brazilian and those allegedly involved in the assault were used as key evidence in his initial conviction.
Sports
Former Tennis Champion, Tania Okpala Returns To Tennis After Rehabilitation
Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, has revealed that former tennis champion, Tania Okpala, has resumed playing on the courts.
This development follows Soludo’s assurance that she would undergo rehabilitation after a video surfaced online showing her in distress on the streets of Awka, pleading for assistance.
In an update on his social media handle on Thursday, Soludo expressed his satisfaction with Okpala’s return, stating, “Tania Okpala is back on the courts!
“A few months ago, social media was flooded with a viral video showing Ms. Tania in a distressing state on the streets of Awka. I am pleased to report that we have successfully restored Tania to her winning ways.”
Okpala, who hails from Anambra and has a Belarusian mother, represented Nigeria in the 1990s.
Here are pictures of her in the tennis court.
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