Nigeria Premier League

Paris 2024: French towns say ‘non merci’ to Olympic torch relay over cost concerns

Citing costs, departments across France have turned down the chance to be in the world’s spotlight. So, how much are they being asked to pay and is it worth it?

The eyes of the world will turn to France in July 2024, as the summer Olympic Games begins with a spectacular opening ceremony on the River Seine.

Before that, the Olympic torch embarks on a two-month journey around the country, after criss-crossing the globe on its way from Mount Olympus in Greece, to the French capital.

But this Olympic tradition is turning into a headache for organisers, with towns and cities saying a polite ‘no merci’ to a visit from the Olympic flame torch relay, citing the high costs involved.

Departments have been asked to fork out €150,000 – amounting to €180,000 with taxes included.

At least 10 of France’s 96 mainland departments – the administrative rung below the regional level – have formerly declared that they won’t be hosting the torch.

Sparking tensions
Citizens of the Rhône department in southeastern France – where the country’s third largest city Lyon is located – will not be catching a glimpse of the torch.

It’s a cause for frustration for some.

In a statement released by the Rhône branch of Emmanuel Macron’s youth supporters, ‘Les Jeunes avec Macron’, the department garnered criticism for a decision supposedly made on environmental grounds.

“The narrow-mindedness of environmentalists who confuse the fight against global warming with an environmentalist puritanism that would ban all forms of festive spirit”.

However, these are not the reasons that the department and city stated.

“Asking for 180,000 euros from each department does not make any sense. Some departments are smaller and others are less robust. It would have been more logical for regions to organise financing of the torches at the regional level in order to ensure territorial equity”, stated Bruno Bernard, President of the Lyon Metropole.

“We would naturally have liked to host the flame, however the economic conditions required by the Olympic Committee – 180 000 euros for an activity which lasts only one day, seem unreasonable in terms of public action”, he added.

Prioritising local sport
Christophe Guilloteau, President of the Rhône region spoke out against hosting the flame as early as January 2022.

He told Euronews “on top of this expense there is the cost of the activities which will compliment the torch’s relay. The Rhône Department would rather invest in local events, and support the sports industry on our territory.”

The departments of les Vosges, la Meurthe-et-Moselle, l’Indre-et-Loire, le Lot-et-Garonne, la Creuse, la Haute-Loire et la Haute-Vienne, la Loire-Atlantique, les Côtes-d’Armor et l’Orne have all declared they will not be hosting the flame.

“This sum is more than of my subsidies to fund sport events over the whole year”, Ludovic Gouyette, vice-president of the Côtes-d’Armor department told France Bleu Armorique. The department is located in northern Britanny.

Why this cost?
The organising committee for the Paris 2024 Olympics, Cojo, said a “very large majority of departments have already welcomed” the flame, adding that the €150,000 ensures that the torch crosses “the maximum number of territories” on its way to Paris.

Cojo underlines that the torch’s relay is funded “for the most part by the committee and its partners”, stating that it will go ahead no matter what.

In January 2023, the French government announced that the part of public funding for the games would increase to €2.4 billion.

According to a study by the Paris 2024 Olympics could generate €10.7 billion in economic benefits and produce 250,000 jobs.

However, the cost of hosting the Olympic Games has skyrocketed in recent years. As fewer and fewer countries bid to host the huge multi-sport event, the International Olympic Committee has called for a reform of the process of selecting the host city.

Past glories
France has previously hosted the Olympic games on five occasions – and twice to date in Paris.

Chamonix, located in the Haute-Savoie department will be hosting the flame: a moment in history as the ceremony will take place 100 years on from the Chamonix 1924 Olympics.

The cities of Grenoble and Albertville also hosted the winter games in 1992 and 1968 – but they won’t be reviving past glories. Located in the Savoie and Isere departments, local leaders once again chose to pass on the chance of hosting the flame.

“Hosting the Tour de France has already allowed to gain more visibility from the population”, at “a must lower cost”, stated Frédéric Burnier Framboret, Mayor Albertville in an interview with l’Equipe.

However, the organisers insist that the relay will “offer a unique opportunity to shine a spotlight on the regions of France, its heritage and savoir-faire… villages and iconic locations will benefit from the focus of the Games to reveal themselves to the world.”

Nigeria Premier League

Abiodun Celebrates The NPFL’s New Era As Remo Stars Clinch The 2024/25 Trophy

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has expressed delight at the steady transformation of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), commending the league’s organizers for aligning its calendar with international standards.

Governor Abiodun made the remarks in Abeokuta while receiving a delegation from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), led by its President, Ibrahim Gusau, and the Chairman of the NPFL, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye.

The officials visited to congratulate the Governor following the official presentation of the 2024/25 NPFL trophy to Remo Stars—champions of this season.

Speaking on the sidelines of the visit, the Governor praised the NPFL’s decision to synchronize its season with global leagues, many of which conclude by May or early June.

“While the champions, our own Remo Stars from Ogun State, were crowned on Sunday, there is just one more game to conclude the season—meaning the NPFL will wrap up in May, just like most European leagues. This is commendable,” he said.

Abiodun, who attended the trophy presentation in Ikenne, also applauded the NPFL board for conducting a smooth and rancor-free season.

“It is to the credit of the NPFL Board, led by my brother, Elegbeleye, that we had this beautiful celebration today. All stakeholders agree that Remo Stars are worthy champions,” the Governor stated.

Present at the reception were several NFF Board members, including Ganiyu, Aisha Falode, and Silas Agara.

Sports247.ng

Nigeria Premier League

NPFL Drama: Late Spot-kick Seals Shooting Stars’ Win Over Sunshine Stars

Sunshine Stars narrowly lost 0-1 to Shooting Stars in a tightly contested Matchday 36 fixture of the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

The decisive goal came in the 84th minute after the referee awarded a late penalty to the home side, following a scramble in the box.

Just two minutes earlier, Sunshine Stars were reduced to ten men when defender Yusuf Olowoshile received a red card.

Shooting Stars capitalized on the advantage, converting the penalty with composure to secure all three points.

Despite the defeat, Sunshine Stars displayed grit and determination, going toe-to-toe with their hosts and creating several scoring opportunities.

Goalkeeper Emma Offori was a standout performer, making several key saves to keep the Owena Whales in the contest.

Speaking after the match, Shooting Stars head coach Gbenga Ogunbote praised Sunshine Stars for their resilience, labeling their current league standing as “unfortunate.”

On his part, Sunshine Stars coach Bobola Akinfolarin expressed frustration with the result, particularly the timing of the penalty. Nevertheless, he stressed that the team must now shift focus to their final two games of the season.

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Nigeria Premier League

Football World Stunned As NFF PSAC Reverses Rivers United Decision

In a stunning and unprecedented move, the Nigeria Football Federation’s Players Status and Arbitration Committee (NFF PSAC) has reversed its own judgment in the high-profile contractual dispute between Rivers United FC and former player Deputy Echeta—six months after issuing a definitive ruling, Sports247 reports.

The controversial reversal, handed down on March 1, 2025, but only made public at the end of April, has left legal experts and football stakeholders baffled.

It directly contradicts PSAC’s earlier decision from December 2, 2024, which ruled in favor of Echeta, citing multiple breaches of FIFA regulations by Rivers United.

The Original Judgment: A Clear-Cut Case

In its initial ruling, the PSAC made the following key findings:

1. Unlawful Suspension: Rivers United’s indefinite suspension of Echeta was declared illegal, violating FIFA’s cap of 30 days for player suspensions pending investigations.

2. Wage Breach: The club was found guilty of failing to pay the player for over four months—qualifying under Article 14bis of FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) as just cause for unilateral contract termination.

3. Contractual Compensation: While Echeta was entitled to seek compensation under Article 17bis of the RSTP for unlawful termination, he waived that right.

4. Excessive Transfer Fee: The club demanded N15 million to loan Echeta to Sunshine Stars, despite the latter offering N1 million—a move deemed a deliberate effort to block his career progression.

5. Provisional Clearance: PSAC issued Echeta clearance to sign with any club of his choice immediately.

6. Admonishment: Rivers United was chastised for bad faith and actions that jeopardized Echeta’s career and economic freedom.

Despite the ruling, Echeta remained without a club as Sunshine Stars delayed signing him until the transfer window opened. In January 2025, a lifeline came from a foreign club offering a short-term contract.

However, when Echeta submitted his PSAC-issued clearance to register abroad, the NFF’s Transfer Matching System (TMS) manager refused to issue his International Transfer Certificate (ITC), contrary to standard protocol.

Only through intervention under revised FIFA guidelines was the player eventually registered, rendering the provisional clearance practically redundant.

The Shocking Reversal

In a twist that many are calling a “procedural disgrace,” the NFF PSAC quietly reconvened the case on March 1, 2025—without notifying or inviting Echeta to the hearing. Instead, only Rivers United was granted audience, and the committee took the unprecedented step of overturning its previous decision.

This move flies in the face of standard arbitration procedure. PSAC had initially acknowledged that only a higher legal authority—such as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) could review or overturn ithe ruling.

Moreover, procedural time limits for lodging appeals had already lapsed by the time the case was reopened.

The New Ruling: A Legal Contradiction

The committee’s new ruling includes the following points:

1. Revocation of Clearance: Citing Article 9 of the RSTP, PSAC rescinded the provisional clearance, arguing it was misused to facilitate an international transfer without the club’s consent.

2. Mandatory Reconciliation: Echeta was instructed to return to Rivers United to negotiate a mutual contract termination so the club could “benefit from his economic rights.”

3. Financial Penalties: The player was fined N5 million for “gross misconduct and misrepresentation,” along with an additional N1 million payable to the NFF for allegedly breaching trust.

Confusion Breaks the Bone

Legal experts point to the existence of two conflicting rulings of equal legal weight as a glaring flaw that now complicates enforcement and undermines the integrity of the arbitration body.

More troubling is that the latest judgment was issued in the absence of one party, a breach of basic principles of fair hearing.

A Precedent of Chaos

The fallout from this case could be seismic for Nigerian football’s dispute resolution framework.

By overturning its own decision without proper procedure or jurisdiction, the PSAC may have set a dangerous precedent, where settled cases could be re-opened without cause or due process.

“This is not just a misstep, it’s a collapse of credibility,” said a legal analyst who asked not to be named. “You cannot act as judge and appellate court on the same matter. It’s unheard of.”

The Unanswered Question

As stakeholders try to make sense of this stunning reversal, one critical question lingers:

What changed between December 2024 and March 2025 to prompt this legal about-face?

Was there external pressure? Political influence? Or internal interference from powerful actors within the football ecosystem?

Whatever the cause, the PSAC’s credibility now hangs in the balance. Once seen as a bastion of fairness, the committee’s integrity is now under intense scrutiny, and unless this decision is reviewed.

Nigerian football risks descending into an era where justice is neither predictable nor guaranteed.

Sports247.com