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Paris 2024 Games flame lit in ancient Olympia

The sacred flame for the Paris 2024 Olympics was lit Tuesday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises.

“In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even – and in particular – during times of war and conflict,” said International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.

“Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message: yes, it is possible to compete fiercely against each other and at the same time live peacefully together under one roof,” he said.

Owing to cloudy weather, Greek actresses in the role of ancient priestesses used a flame lit in a rehearsal Monday in the 2,600-year-old Temple of Hera, near the stadium where the Olympics were born in 776 BC.

Carrying the flame in a pot, Greek actress Mary Mina lit the torch for the first bearer, 2020 Olympic rowing champion Stefanos Ntouskos.

Retired French swimmer Laure Manaudou, who won her first gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, followed as France’s first torchbearer in Olympia.
– ‘Inclusive’ Games –

Officials on Tuesday stressed that the Paris Games will set new milestones, following the legacy of the other two prior Olympics held in the French capital.

“The Olympic Flame will shine over the first Olympic Games inspired by our Olympic Agenda reforms from start to finish,” Bach said.

“These Olympic Games will be younger, more inclusive, more urban, more sustainable. These will be the very first Olympic Games with full gender parity, because the IOC allocated exactly 50 percent of the places to female and male athletes,” he said.

Paris Olympics chief organiser Tony Estanguet noted that women took part for the first time in the Paris 1900 Games, while the first Olympic Village was created for the Paris 2024 Games.

For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic imposed toned-down events for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 Beijing Winter Games, the ceremony was back with full regalia and scores of spectators.

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo were present at the ceremony.

American mezzo soprano Joyce DiDonato delivered the Olympic anthem.

The torch harks back to the ancient Olympics when a sacred flame burned throughout the Games. The tradition was revived in 1936 for the Berlin Games.

During the 11-day relay on Greek soil, some 600 torchbearers will carry the flame over a distance of 5,000 kilometres (3,100 miles) through 41 municipalities.

– Security concerns –

The Olympic flame will be handed over to Paris 2024 organisers in a ceremony at the all-marble Panathenaic Stadium, site of the first modern Olympic Games of 1896, on April 26.

Nana Mouskouri, the 89-year-old Greek singer with a worldwide following, has been invited to perform at the ceremony.

On April 27, the flame will begin its journey to France on board the 19th-century three-masted barque Belem, which was launched just weeks after the Athens 1896 Games.

A French historical monument, the Belem carried out trade journeys to Brazil, Guyana and the Caribbean for nearly two decades.

France’s last surviving three-mast steel-hulled boat, it is expected to arrive in Marseille on May 8.

Ten thousand torchbearers will then carry the flame across 64 French territories.

It will travel through 400 towns and dozens of tourist attractions during its 12,000-kilometre (7,500-mile) journey through mainland France and overseas French territories in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific.

On July 26 it will form the centrepiece of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

The ceremony is planned to be held on the river Seine — the first time it has not been held in the Games’ main stadium.

However, French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said it could be moved to the national stadium in the event of a security threat.

Macron said instead of teams sailing down the Seine on barges, the ceremony could be “limited to the Trocadero” building across the river from the Eiffel Tower or “even moved to the Stade de France”.

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Karim Benzema Hints Return To Real Madrid

Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema has hinted at a desire to return to the club once he has brought down the curtain on an illustrious playing career.

Benzema is second on Madrid’s list of all-time goal-scorers, ahead of icons Raul and Alfredo Di Stefano, having netted 354 times across 14 years. He is also fifth on the club’s all-time appearance list, playing 648 games between 2009 and 2023.

Madrid have welcomed former players back in a variety of off-field roles in the past, with 1980s stars Jorge Valdano and Emilio Butragueno among those to have had prominent executive positions. Raul has been in charge of Real Madrid Castilla since 2019, with Alvaro Arbeloa currently a youth coach. Santiago Solari had spells in charge of various sides up to first-team level, with Zinedine Zidane famously serving as an adviser before two spells as head coach.

Benzema admitted in a Mega interview that he doesn’t know if coaching is the path he wants to take, only that he wants to be “close” to president Florentino Perez.

“The other day, I was with Florentino in Madrid. When he signed me [in 2009], I told my father that as long as he was at Real Madrid, I would be there,” the Frenchman explained.

“He was the first person I called when I decided I was leaving. He didn’t quite understand…I told him that the youngsters, Vinicius and Rodrygo, were ready. When I retire, I want to be close to football. Coach? I don’t know, it seems more complicated than being a player. I want to be close to Florentino.”

Benzema, now 37, is currently in his second season with Saudi Pro League giants Al Ittihad.

“I feel good here,” he said. “My life is like in Madrid. I get up, train at home in the gym and in the afternoon I train with the team. In the evening, I sometimes go out to dinner or to the beach. Here you can’t walk down the street either, people are crazy about football.”

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Fulham Condemn Manchester United Fans Racist Abuse on Calvin Bassey

Fulham have condemned the “abhorrent” racist and homophobic online abuse directed at Nigerian defender Calvin Bassey following Sunday’s FA Cup penalty shootout win at Manchester United.

Nigeria defender Bassey, who scored the opening goal at Old Trafford, shared some examples of the unsavoury abuse he had received on social media.

“We strongly condemn this abhorrent behaviour, which has no place in football or society,” Fulham said in a statement.

“Such actions are entirely unacceptable, and we stand in full support of Calvin Bassey, who will continue to receive our full backing.

“We will do everything in our power to work with the relevant authorities in identifying the perpetrators of these vile messages and taking the strongest form of action against them.”

Bassey’s online abuse follows recent cases involving Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure, England defender Kyle Walker, Newcastle United’s Joe Willock and Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw.

In a recent interview with BBC Sport, Samuel Okafor, chief executive of anti-discrimination body Kick It Out (KIO), said the level of abuse in English football had “reached crisis point”.

Bassey’s goal was cancelled out in the second half by Bruno Fernandes, with the game staying level at 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes and extra time.

Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee missed for United in the shootout to send the Cottagers into the quarter-finals, where they will host Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage.

BBC

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Weekend Of Goals, As More Matches Played Across Centres At U-13 JOF Cup Hits Up In Lagos

Matches were played at Lekki playground and Ojo Oniyun playground in Ebute Metta as teams jostle for the ultimate trophy of this year’s U-13 JOF Kids Cup in Lagos.

Reports from the centres revealed a total of 44 goals were recorded from the matches played at the weekend as the kids showcased their God-given talent in a tournament sponsored by JOF Nigeria Limited.

In some of the results, First Class Boys from Lagos Island beat Zamalek Babes 2-1, Warriors FC of Agege succumbed to the superior power of Ikosi Boys of Kentucky in a match that ended 3-0 at Lekki playground on Friday.

The same Friday at the Ojo Oniyun pitch, Camara Boys from Bariga were beaten by the Ajiran Boys 1-2. HB Utility of Ilupeju defeated Okota Academy 3-1, while Ola’s Babes from Somolu beat Oron Academy of Oyinbo 1-0.

On Saturday at Lekki playground, it was penalty shootouts that decided the winners between Edet Academy and Nice Babes after they 1-1 draw in the regulation time. Edet later won the match 4-3.
Oloto Babes beat Damilade Boys 2-1.

At Ojo Oniyun playground, ADC Academy from Ogba were too much for Adamu Academy of Idi Araba, Mushin in a cracker that ended 2-1 while Versity Boys of Lagos Island beat Glory Boys from Ikotun 2-0.

On Sunday, Idimu Bombers defeated Made Academy from Ijegun 2-1, while Tom Tom Boys of Orile went down for Botife Academy from Abule Egba in a match that ended 2-1 at Ojo Oniyun playground.

At Lekki playground, Solution Boys beat Oworo United 2-0, while Dopemu United triumphed over Tobi Boys from Oshodi in a 4-1 game.

Mr Adeyinka Adetunji, JOF Nigeria Limited’s Director, Strategic Support Services, commended the spirit of sportsmanship exhibited by all the teams, even as he praised the organisation of the tournament since it kicked off two weekends ago.

Adetunji assured of JOF Nigeria Limited’s continued support for initiative to develop the talents in Nigerian youths.