Events

Five-year After, SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit Returns to Birmimgham

Published

1 month ago

August 30, 2023

SMI

The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit is to return after a five-year absence in Birmingham next April, it has been announced.
The event is due to take place between April 7 and 11 in the English city which last year hosted a successful Commonwealth Games.

It will be held in Birmingham’s world acclaimed International Convention Centre (ICC) in the heart of the city.

It will be the first time the event has been held since it took place in the Gold Coast in 2019.

First, Chinese capital Beijing and then Olympic capital Lausanne in Switzerland had been due to stage the 2020 edition, but the COVID-19 pandemic led to it being cancelled altogether.

Yekaterinburg was first supposed to host the summit in May 2021, before it was rescheduled to November 2021, and then again to May 2022 before being taken away from Russia following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

It will be only the second time the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit has been held in the United Kingdom following London in 2011, the year before the country’s capital hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“I can think of no better place than the West Midlands to build on the momentum of the brilliant Birmingham Commonwealth Games by hosting SportAccord.

“A city of inventions, iconic landmarks and firsts, Birmingham’s rich tapestry of history, heritage and culture will provide a unique delegate experience.

“With superb facilities, as well as accommodation all highly accessible within a square mile, sports leaders and decision makers can focus on what really matters in this new era for sport – unique networking and valuable insights from a dynamic line-up of world-class speakers.

“We look forward to bringing the magic of SportAccord to Birmingham in 2024.”

Last year, Ferriani had expressed his “dream” to have Vladimir Putin join fellow political leaders Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in attending the key international sport convention.

The International Olympic Committee member and President of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation President revealed he had “a vision” for SportAccord of the Russian, United States and Chinese heads of state attending to share their thoughts on sport.

The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit will mark the biggest gathering of Olympic leaders, officials and sports since the city hosted the 97th edition of the International Olympic Committee Session in 1991, which also took place at the ICC.

That event was opened by the late Queen Elizabeth II and was notable for the selection of Nagano as host of the 1998 Winter Olympic Games and the election as IOC members of future Presidents Jacques Rogge and Thomas Bach.

That Session also played a part in further augmenting the rapidly growing momentum behind moves to allow South Africa back into the Olympic Games.

IOC members gave the 11-member Executive Board and IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch the authority to readmit South Africa once the last pillars of apartheid had been removed.

As well as being a vital part of the build-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, next year’s event is expected to see extensive lobbying as the campaign to succeed Bach as IOC President in 2025 intensifies.

For Birmingham, it will be another chance to shine on the world stage after last year’s Commonwealth Games.

“We all know how incredible the Commonwealth Games was for the West Midlands, but last year’s spectacle must be the start of a new sporting journey for our region – not the end,” Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said.

“If we want to keep hosting the world’s biggest sporting events then showcasing our region to sport’s global decision makers is mission critical.

“That’s why this SportAccord conference is so important – and why I’m delighted we’ve been able to pull it off.

“This is the first time the conference has been held in the UK for over a decade, and the last host – Australia’s Gold Coast – secured the 2032 Olympic Games.

“There is no question therefore just what a major coup this is for the West Midlands, and we now must ensure we make the most of the opportunity and use it as a springboard for our future.”

Events

Jos, Plateau Comes Alive As NNL AGA Holds This Friday

Published

16 hours ago

September 29, 2023

SMI

All is set for the Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria National League which is scheduled to hold in the capital city of Plateau state.

Already, stakeholders have started arriving the Tin City for the one-day deliberation.

The AGA which is the first activity of the season will see the NNL board meet with the 40 club representatives to fashion our all formalities for a successful season.

Kickoff date, format, funding and other matters of critical importance will be decided at the assembly.

NNL Chairman George Aluo who is already on the ground, gave further insight on the agenda.

“At the NNL AGA we will be rubbing minds with the club owners, share our thoughts and plans with them and be on the same page and decide when the league will start basically, as that is the most important thing so that after the AGA in Jos, we should be able to tell Nigerians when the league will kickoff.”

He continued, “The President of the NFF Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau has given us a mandate to start the league on time and ensure it aligns with the international calendar and that is the direction we want to go. So we have come up with our own plans and by the time we finish with our AGA in Jos, we’ll tell Nigerians what the plans are and how the league will be played.

He revealed that the board ” has put some plans in place as the NNL has been able to partner with the National Institute for Sports (NIS) for a pre-season capacity building seminar for our coaches. We want to upscale our coaches to make them better. Already, we have invited some resource persons from the NIS and the Technical Director of the NFF Augustine Eguavoen who will be involved in that and a Portuguese coach Thiago Conde so, at the end of the day, we would have upscale our coaches technically and before the start of the season by the time you’ve taken them to the classroom, I’m sure it will rub-off on the NNLas the 2023-2023 season gets underway.”

He appreciated the Plateau state Government for hosting the board as they begin deliberation this Friday.

Events

Colombia 2024: Falconets progress to third round as Mauritius withdraw

Published

2 days ago

September 28, 2023

SMI

The Mauritius Football Association has notified the Confederation of African Football of the withdrawal of the country’s U20 Women National Team from the ongoing African qualifying series for next year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals.

“Kindly note that CAF was informed of the withdrawal of Mauritius FA from the African qualifiers of FIFA U20 WWC 2024. Consequently, Nigeria is qualified to the next round of the competition and the missions of all officials of matches 37 & 38 are cancelled,” read a communication from CAF to the Nigeria Football Federation.

The Falconets were to fly to Mauritius next week for the first leg in Saint Pierre against the Mauritius U20 girls, with the return leg scheduled for the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, 14th October.

With this situation, 2022 World Cup quarter-finalists Nigeria now progress to the next round of the qualification series.

Events

Confed Cup: Insurance players vow to beat RS Berkane for their chief motivator, Obaseki

Published

2 days ago

September 28, 2023

SMI

As Federation Cup champion, Bendel Insurance of Benin plays RS Berkane on Friday in a Caf Confederation Cup match, the players and officials said they are ready to shed blood to win for the good people and government of Edo State especially their number one supporter and motivator Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Though Insurance has a mountain to climb in the decisive leg in Morocco after they were forced to a 2-2 draw by RS Berkane at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, in the first leg on Saturday, September 16, they are confident that will beat their host and qualify for the next round of the competition.

Monday Odigie’s side will miss the services of striker Osarenkhoe Imade, who scored their opener in the first leg as well as their other goal in the last round.

The 22-year-old just penned a deal with United Arab Emirates side, United FC.

Despite missing their highest goal scorer from last season, stand-in captain and goalkeeper, Amas Obasigie, echoed the confidence of the team.

“Knowing the honour that awaits us if we beat our opponents to qualify for the group stage, we are going to fight for everything in the field of play to go home happy. We made two mistakes in Benin and will not want a repeat. We are facing very strong opponents who have been champions twice in a space of three years, but we will not allow their intimidation to affect our play. They should expect a good fight from us the way they also fought in Benin.

“Above all, we want to fight to win for our state Governor, who has been wonderful in giving his all, in sponsorship and motivation that has taken us thus far both in the domestic league and continental level,” Obasogie said.