The Senior Special Assistant on Grassroots Sports Development to the President, Adeboye Adeyinka, popularly known as Zulu, has been officially appointed as the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 2025 Armwrestling African Championship. The announcement underscores Nigeria’s commitment to hosting a world-class event that will showcase Africa’s top armwrestlers in the heart of Abuja.

The inauguration of the LOC is set to take place on February 11, 2025, in Abuja, marking the formal kickoff of preparations for the championship, which will run from July 23rd to 27th, 2025.

Adeboye Adeyinka, known for his passion for sports development and grassroots empowerment, is expected to bring his wealth of experience and leadership to the role.

Speaking about the appointment, Adeyinka expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve, stating, “It is an honor to lead the Local Organizing Committee for such a significant championship. We are committed to delivering an unforgettable event that will leave a lasting legacy for armwrestling in Africa and beyond.”

The 2025 Armwrestling African Championship, backed by the Armwrestling Federation of Africa (AFA) and with the full support of the Nigerian Federal Government, promises to be a landmark event.

AFA President Charles Osei Asibey lauded the appointment, noting that Adeyinka’s expertise will ensure the smooth organization of the championship.

“With his deep understanding of grassroots sports and organizational excellence, Adeboye Adeyinka is the perfect choice to lead this initiative,” Asibey said.

President of the Nigeria Armwrestling Federation, Engr. Samuel Jackson, also commended the appointment and expressed confidence in Adeyinka’s ability to deliver.

“Adeboye Adeyinka’s leadership and passion for grassroots sports development make him an excellent choice for this role.

Together, we will ensure that the 2025 Armwrestling African Championship in Abuja is a resounding success,” Jackson stated.

The LOC’s inauguration is expected to set the tone for collaborative planning, with stakeholders and key partners coming together to ensure Abuja is fully prepared to welcome athletes, officials, and fans from across the continent.

As the countdown begins, the spotlight is firmly on Nigeria to deliver an event that will elevate armwrestling to new heights in Africa.

The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) has announced the suspension of eight players from Edo and Delta Rugby Clubs due to disciplinary infractions during league matches played at Adolor College, Benin City, in the 2023/24 league season.

Following a thorough investigation, the NRFF Disciplinary Committee found the players guilty of misconduct in connection with a fight that erupted during the matches. The incident, detailed in reference number NRFF/NSC/FEAD/CON/VOL.1/085, led to decisive action to maintain the league’s integrity and sportsmanship.

The players suspended are as follows:

Eselekhomwen Nelson Hope (Edo RFC)

Isidor Okafor (Delta RFC)

Christian Eleberi (Edo RFC)

Shunamite Okorie (Edo RFC)

Abovwo Imoisi (Edo RFC)

Chioma Nwankpa (Edo RFC)

Mene Augustar (Edo RFC)

Each player is to serve a two-match suspension, which will commence from the Super Six playoffs and extend into the 2024/25 regular league season. The NRFF emphasized its commitment to upholding discipline and ensuring a fair playing environment for all teams and players.

Britain’s Emma Raducanu suffered a disappointing defeat to world number 101 Cristina Bucsa of Spain in the opening round of the Singapore Open.

The 22-year-old was playing for the first time since her 6-1 6-0 third round loss to Iga Swiatek at the Australian Open and the news her coach Nick Cavaday was stepping back from the role to “prioritise getting back to full health”.

But in a gruelling encounter lasting three hours and three minutes and featuring 17 breaks of service, Bucsa came through 5-7 7-5 7-5 against the seventh seed in the pair’s first meeting.

The Spaniard had served for the opening set at 5-4 up but Raducanu, ranked 56, rattled off the next three games to take control of the match.

The second set started with three consecutive breaks of service to leave Bucsa 3-1 and then 4-2 up but Raducanu continued to battle and another run of three games in a row saw her go 5-4 up but Bucsa responded with the next three games to level the match.

Both players struggled to hold serve in the decider but although a weary-looking Raducanu dug deep to edge 5-4 ahead, Bucsa held and then broke her opponent at a crucial time to leave her serving for the match.

The British number two saved a couple of match points but Bucsa, the Olympic women’s doubles bronze medallist, quickly earned another and this time Raducanu netted.

Bucsa will next face either Sijia Wei of China or Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand in the last 16.