Who said what and why

It is the responsibility of the federations as critical stakeholders and field soldiers of sports development in the country to rise to the occasion and ensure that sports is taken to the heights it deserved by making sure that we do the right things at the right time to move sports forward”.

-Sports Minister/Chairman National Sports Commission, Sani Ndanusa, saying Nigeria may not achieve the target of being one of the top 20 sporting nations of the world by the year 2020.

It will be criminal to drop Amodu from the World Cup. We are still paying for the price of the nemesis that caught up with us the last time they qualified us for the World Cup and they sacked them. I worked closely with them and I know the capabilities and limitations of Amodu.

-Former vice chairman of Nigeria Football Association (NFA) Nwabufo Obienu commenting shortly before Shuaibu Amodu’s mandate to lead Nigeria to the Nations Cup and World Cup, was confirmed by the Nigeria Football Federation.

If you were saying we had played our strongest side, then it would be more of a concern, the players are 18 and 19 and expect to make some mistakes you don’t make when you’ve grown up.

-Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson on his side’s 1-0 lost to Besiktas in their UEFA Champions League match on Wednesday.

The boxers they are talking about are mostly in their thirties, and they want us to feature them in amateur bouts? That will defeat the whole purpose of seeking to discover new talents

-Former World Boxing Organisation heavyweight champion, Henry Akinwande, responding to the criticism that he deliberately excluded some boxers from Lagos State talent hunt boxing programme.

I’m tired because I am not yet 100 per cent. In fact, it’s almost like starting from scratch but I’m sure that I can return to being the player I was before injury, scoring goals, playing good matches and helping the team.

-Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo saying he wants to play in and win El Clasico against Barcelona at Camp Nou on Sunday

A game with nearly 100,000 fans is always special and you cannot play enough of those if you love football. They are the best games to play in as a professional.

-FC Barcelona former midfielder Phillip Cocu relieving his El Clasico memories ahead of the clash between La Liga giants, Barcelona and Real Madrid

Ten rumours I would like to believe

1. That the members of victorious First Bank basketball team would be hosted by the Sports Minister and also rewarded by the government for their efforts

2. That two friendly matches with Spain and Argentina have been agreed on for the Super Eagles

3. That Sports Kit manufacturing company Adidas has agreed to a 75% rise in its contract with the Super Eagles with the team already securing a berth at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa

4. That following the controversy trailing Thierry Henry’s handling of the ball, FIFA has now agreed to the use of video technology in next year’s World Cup.

5. That four boxers chosen from the monthly Lagos State Boxing Hall of Fame competition would be taking part in an amateur boxing tourney in Cuba next month

6. That injured Arsenal striker Van Persie has suddenly been declared fit to play against Chelsea in today’s Premier league clash

7. That after successfully serving as the starting point for the ECOWAS cycling tourney, two other cycling competitions have been scheduled for Jos and Kaduna as part of plans to revive the sport in the country,

8. That sponsors have been found to bankroll a grassroots tennis tournament for U-10’s for the next five years.

9. That the senate has refused to approve the one billion Naira budget brought before it by the NFF as cost of prosecuting the Nations Cup and World Cup; instead, it directed the NFF to seek sponsors and make do with what FIFA and CAF have to offer.

10. That newly appointed U-17 coach, Monday Odigie, has been mandated to be at the venues of the Principals Cup football competitions, which begins in Lagos next week, as part of ways to ensure that players in the specified age bracket.

Ten rumours I would not like to believe

1. That the debt case hanging on Obafemi Martins has forced his team VFL Wolfsburg to suspend his contract

2. That the 41st edition of the Asoju Oba Cup tennis tournament would be the last due to financial problems being faced by its sponsor

3. That the Federal Government has suspended it’s probing of the finances of the Local Organising Committee for the just concluded U-17 tournament owing to pressures from some parties involved.

4. That the International Olympic Committee has suspended Nigeria from its fold after allegations that some contestants have been denied their rights of participating in the committee’s forthcoming elections

5. That Rafael Nadal would be quitting tennis as series of injuries he suffered have taken the shine off his game

6. That a notable communication company associated with the Nigeria’s national football teams has withdrawn its sponsorship after a row with the Nigeria Football Federation over non- payment of agreed monies

7. That all male coaches named recently by the NFF to help out with some of the female national teams have been asked to stay out owing to protests from the female coaches

8. That the Handball Federation of Nigeria has decided to disband, due to the inactivity and lack of funds.

9. That the New Era Wheelchair Tennis Championship scheduled for early next year has been cancelled for the second consecutive year.

10. That Lagos Islanders and Kano Pillars Club, expected to represent Nigeria at the FIBA Africa Club Basketball Championships are unable to make the journey to Cotonou due to lack of funds.