Author: The Nation

Police have dramatically raided the Paris 2024 headquarters, just over a year before the start of the next Summer Olympic Games.
The reason for the raid at the premises in Saint-Denis is not immediately clear although Le Monde said it was due to “suspicions of irregularity on public contracts”.
L’Equipe reported that two searches are in progress – one at the Paris 2024 Organising Committee headquarters and one at Solideo – the company responsible for Paris 2024 building works.
The Central Office for the Fight against Corruption and Financial and Tax (OCLCIFF) and the Financial Brigade of the Paris Judicial Police (BRDE) are said to be carrying out the raid.
They are acting after two preliminary investigations were opened by the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office, it has been reported.
The first was launched in 2017 and handed to OCLCIFF for alleged embezzlement of public funds and favouritism over a Paris 2024 contract.
In 2022, the second investigation was entrusted to the BRIDE involving contracts involving Paris 2024 and Solideo following an inspection by the French Anti-Corruption Agency (AFA).
Two reports by the AFA on the organisation of the Olympics in April 2021 had pointed to “risks of breaches of probity” and “conflicts of interest”.
“A search is currently underway at the headquarters of the Organising Committee,” Paris 2024 said. “Paris 2024 is cooperating fully with the investigators to facilitate their inquiries.
“We do not have anything else to share at the moment.”
The raid comes with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board meeting today and tomorrow.
“We are aware that there has been a search by police of the Paris 2024 headquarters today,” an IOC spokesperson said.
“We have been informed by Paris 2024 that they are cooperating fully with the authorities in this matter and we would refer you to them for further information.”
The raid comes with the IOC still dealing with the fallout of a corruption scandal involving Tokyo 2020.

Premier League side Chelsea have confirmed the arrival of France forward Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig on a six-year contract until 2029.
Nkunku, 25, joined Leipzig from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 and scored 70 goals in 172 appearances in all competitions for the German club.
This season he was the joint-top scorer in the Bundesliga with 16 goals alongside Niclas Fullkrug of Werder Bremen. Nkunku achieved this feat despite missing nine games due to injury.
The fee is reported to be £52 million, as per BBC Sport.
“I am incredibly happy to be joining Chelsea,” Nkunku told the club’s website
“A big effort was made to bring me to the club and I am looking forward to meeting my new coach and teammates and showing the Chelsea supporters what I can do on the pitch.
“Having played in Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga, I now want to play in the Premier League, one of the strongest leagues in the world.
“I am very excited for this challenge and will be proud to wear the Chelsea shirt.”
Chelsea have had a raft of striker signings since the departure of Diego Costa in 2017, including the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz but they have been unable to find a regular goalscorer.
Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, added: “Christopher has proved himself one of the standout attacking players in European football over the past two seasons and will add quality, creativity and versatility to our squad.
“He has demonstrated his ability at the highest level with RB Leipzig and France and we look forward to him joining up with his new teammates ahead of the new season.”
Nkunku, as new boss Mauricio Pochettino’s first signing, is the first major bit of business the club have done this summer but they are expected to make further additions.
Another striker, Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal, could arrive after reports that Chelsea are considering triggering his €35 million (c. £29.9m) release clause, whilst the Blues are long-term admirers of Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo.
In terms of outgoings, Havertz is being linked to Arsenal and as many as four players may move to Saudi Arabia: N’Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly, Hakim Ziyech and Edouard Mendy.

No quarter would be asked and none would be given when both Enugu Rangers and Bendel Insurance clash in the 76th final edition of the country’s oldest football competition, the Federation Cup today at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, Delta State.
This is the view of Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations -winning captain, Christian Chukwu who also led Rangers International to many conquests in the 1970s and 1980s as well as former Insurance’s legend, Roland Ewere.
Today’s match is the third finals between both sides in the history of the country’s oldest football competition following previous nostalgic encounters in 1978 and 1981.
“What Rangers experienced in 1978 is what Bendel Insurance is facing this season,”Chukwu recalled that famous 3-0 loss to Insurance.“ Rangers had played a lot of games back then and by the time we played Bendel Insurance in the final, we had suffered from fatigue and could not hold on,” Chukwu told NationSport. “This time, Bendel Insurance will feel the same pressure too by the time they face Rangers in Asaba because they have played throughout the season and also featured in the Super 6.
“ Since they could not a get a continental ticket via the NPFL Super 6, they will be desperate against Rangers in Asaba, ”noted Chukwu who also recalled the 1981 encounter between the two rivals.
He added: “It was fun watching Rangers beat Bendel Insurance 2-0 in the 1981 final.
“It was a good revenge but I had retired from football. It wasn’t an easy game either but Rangers got the job done.”
On his part, Ewere who was not in Insurance’s team of 1978 and 1981 quipped that past history would count for nothing in today’s encounter.
“We cannot continue to dwell on the past,” he said “Both teams must put in their very best to win.
“ It was disappointing that Bendel Insurance couldn’t have any impact in the Super 6 but they must play the final with all they have knowing that it Is their last chance and hope to qualify for the continent,” he said.

Canada’s Olympic heroine Jessie Fleming believed they can overcome Nigeria’s Super Falcons in their decisive group opener.
Fleming was critical for the Canada’s run to the gold medal at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020, scoring a penalty kick in regular time of the final and then converting in the shootout against Sweden.
“I think it’s a challenging group with Australia, Nigeria and Ireland,” she said.
“I feel like the teams are all relatively close and level, especially if you look at the FIFA rankings.
“But I think it’s also hard in that each opponent gives a different challenge. We all play very different styles. If we do make it out of the group, it will prepare us well for what’s to come after.”
The midfielder’s ability and character were first showcased on a global stage as far back as 2014, when she impressed at that year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica – coached by a certain Bev Priestman.
Since then, Fleming has become accustomed to lifting trophies, and currently counts three FA Women’s Super League titles with Chelsea, that Olympic gold medal and a trio of Women’s FA Cups among her most proud achievements.
Fleming claimed her team-mates are picturing what it would feel like to lift the Women’s World Cup trophy and make up for past disappointments.
She added: “Australia is obviously the home team, so as much as that might be intimidating playing in front of a crowd with a lot of energy, I think that’s something our team is really excited for. I know they’re all teams we know we can beat, but there’s no question we’re going into a challenging few games.”

Heartland head coach, Christian Obi, has said the Naija Super 8 play-offs provide a big opportunity for his wards to showcase their talent and make some money in the process.
The former Nigerian league and national cup winners stunned many by landing a spot in the glamorous Naija Super 8 play-offs, at the expense of other top-flight teams in the South-East including Rangers International.
He said: “I feel very good to be going to the Naija Super 8 which is a platform to showcase the talents I have in my team and again it’s another opportunity for the players to also have encounters with more experienced players and officials ; and it’s a plus to us as a team in the sense that it also will prepare us for next season.
“If by his grace we scale through the play-offs, it is another opportunity to make some money and it’s an exposure for both the players and the officials,” Obi added.
The Naze Millionaires have had a good season, having topped their Nigeria National League group without losing a match. Heartland will face the Nigeria Professional Football League champions, Enyimba International at the Eket Township Stadium on 24 June. The winner of the tie will represent the South-East zone in the main Naija Super 8 tourney to hold at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos between July 7 and 16.
Obi explained that the club overcame an internal crisis coupled with the players’ hunger for success has led them thus far.
“Many people do not know how the team started. The team started with nothing. 98% of the regular players that played last season when the team was in the Premier League left, the coach also left to Abia Warriors,” began Obi who previously served as assistant. “I started from scratch and organised matches among the teams in Imo State to have the opportunity of picking from the lot.
“It was those that I picked and groomed before the government came in and the seed I sowed in them is what we are seeing today.”
Heartland vs Enyimba and other Naija Super 8 play-off matches will be live on SuperSport Football (DStv Channel 205 & GOtv Channel 61), SuperSport Variety 4 (DStv Channel 209), and SuperSport Select 2 (GOtv Channel 64).
Naija Super 8 is organised by Flykite Productions in partnership with MultiChoice Nigeria and sponsors, MTN, Hero Lager, DStv, GOtv, SuperSport, Moniepoint, Pepsi and Custodian Assurance.

Inter Miami CF are planning for Lionel Messi to make his debut on July 21 in a Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul, owner Jorge Mas has said.
Messi, 35, said earlier this month he intends to sign for Miami after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, although a deal remains to be finalised.
In a wide-ranging interview with a small group of reporters, including the Miami Herald, managing owner Mas said the club will not get direct subsidy from the MLS and that “no rules are being changed to incorporate Messi on to Inter Miami’s roster.”
Miami plan for Messi, who is on holiday in Rosario, to make his debut at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, against Mexican side Cruz Azul on July 21.
Mas said Miami are preparing for Messi’s arrival, which includes work on increasing the capacity of their stadium to 22,000 by adding approximately 3,000 seats. Security for players will be enhanced both for home and away games.
“As you may recall, Argentina trained in Miami before they flew over to Doha [for 2022 World Cup], where we had an opportunity to see some of the Messi mania at our doors on an everyday basis during practice. So, we’re very prepared. We’ve been getting ready for this,” Mas said
The Argentina captain said last week that he is “eager and ready to face this new challenge” after turning down offers to move to Barcelona and Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal.
Mas said he believes Messi’s arrival will be a game changer for Major League Soccer and encouraged other owners to “seize the moment.”
“I think there will always be a ‘before and after Messi’ when we talk about the sport in the United States,” he said. “I cannot overemphasise the magnitude of this announcement. Having the world’s greatest player here is something that is significant for our league, and for the football ecosystem in the United States … Lionel Messi is coming to this country to win cups and make a difference.
“I think it’s incumbent upon myself and my partners in the league, the other owners, to seize the moment.”

Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala, Alejandro Garnacho and Gavi are the headline names to have been placed on the Golden Boy 100-strong long list for 2023.
The Golden Boy award is handed out each year by Italian outlet Tuttosport, rewarding the best player aged under 21 playing in Europe.
Gavi took home the gong in 2022, and at 18 years old is still eligible to defend his crown.
The Golden Boy Index, a data-driven ranking of Europe’s top 100 young players, has Musiala in top spot, with Bellingham – who this week secured his move to Real Madrid – second, and Gavi third.
Musiala, of Bayern Munich and Germany, scored 16 goals in 2022/23 as he established himself as one of the best young midfielders in the world.
The award will ultimately, however, be voted for by sports journalists from Europe’s biggest media organisations.
Previous winners of the award include Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Raheem Sterling and Wayne Rooney.

Kylian Mbappe has said he was deserving of winning the Ballon d’Or, following a stunning season which has seen the forward set a new goalscoring record.
Mbappe’s 54 goals – his most recent coming in Monday’s 1-0 UEFA 2024 Qualifying win against Greece – has seen him surpass Just Fontaine as the top French scorer in a single domestic and international season.
Mbappe was asked after his match-winning performance whether he feels he is in the conversation for the Ballon d’Or, to be awarded on October 30, given how the parameters of the award have changed to be more focussed around the “individual performance and the decisive and impressive character of the contenders.”
Speaking to TF1, Mbappe said: “It’s always difficult to talk about an individual trophy, because you have to put yourself forward on your own and that’s something that doesn’t necessarily pass in the eyes of the general public.
“The new criteria, it’s about burning eyes, it’s someone who has had an impact… I think I correspond to these criteria, so I would say…yes. But we’ll see.”
Among Mbappe’s fellow contenders for the Ballon d’Or will be Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Vinicius Junior.
Having won the UEFA Nations League to go with Manchester City’s treble, Spain’s Rodri is another who some have identified as a worthy candidate.
Karim Benzema won the 2022 Ballon d’Or, while Alexia Putellas took the Ballon d’Or Feminin.

Nigeria’s sensation Taiwo Mati has been listed among the beneficiaries of this year’s With The Future In Mind (WFIM) scholarship holders listed under three different streams: Paris 2024, Youth Athlete Development, and Olympic Solidarity Youth Athlete Development.
Mati who finished among the top 32 at the 2023 ITTF World Championships in Durban, South Africa and Egypt’s Hana Goda and Tunisia’s Essid Wassim are the three African players listed among the 35 players confirmed by the ITTF High Performance.
Mati, Goda and Wassim will benefit from the scholarship under the Youth Athlete Development which will enable them to feature in major tournaments across the globe.
Mati who is now based in Portugal is expected to use the scholarship to attend WTT events as well as feature in ITTF-organised high performance training for talented athletes.
According to ITTF, the scholarship support is intended to be a shared commitment between ITTF and Member Associations, providing the beneficiaries with the best possible opportunities to achieve their goals through identifying additional training opportunities and increasing the number of events the athlete can participate in. With the Future in Mind is a joint program of Olympic Solidarity (OS) and the ITTF. Since its inception it has been a core component of the Athletes Development Model, supporting athletes the world over in the pursuit of their Olympic Dream.
The scholarships are intended to pave the High Performance pathway for the selected athletes by enabling them to attend high quality training activities and compete at the most suitable events.
The educational component of the scholarship program provides up-to-date and highly applicable know-how to coaches and Member Associations via modern educational methods.
With The Future in Mind is not the only program assisting athletes on their road to the Olympic Games; Olympic Solidarity further supports athletes through the NOC support program in achieving their Olympic dream.
2018 Hopes, current U17 world number 2 and U19 world number 4 Goda echoes: “I am very happy to benefit from the WFIM scholarship. It has helped me in my progression by affording me opportunities for training and participation in tournaments.”

• From Ojieva Ehiosun

Veteran coach Alabi Aisien who masterminded Bendel Insurance’s triumph in the 1978 Federation Cup final, has again tipped the Edo Arsenal to edge Rangers International when both clash today at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba.
Today’s final is a repeat of 1978 and 1981 when a youthful Insurance side first handed a 3-0 defeat to their more experienced counterparts; while the Flying Antelopes avenged with a 1-0 win in their second meeting.
Speaking ahead of the third meeting in the final, Aisien said Insurance must gird their loins since they are facing one of their bitter rivals.
Both Insurance and Rangers have both had a contrasting fortunes this season with the Federation Cup the only hope for either sides to secure the single available CAF Confederation Cup ticket.
For Insurance to claim success against Rangers in Asaba, Aisien has counselled coach Odigie to psyche up his wards.
“ This is not a repeat of the 1978 finals because these are two different times and the kind of football we played back in 70s and 80s is not the kind of football we see these young men play now,” the Octogenarian said. “Those days, we have players with lion hearts, who on their own want to be play for themselves and the state; money wasn’t the main thing then but absolute passion.
“ This time, Insurance have played so many matches this season but coach Odigie ensure the players bring out their best to beat Enugu Rangers.
“Like I said before, Insurance have played too many games; from the League to Federation Cup to Super Six and now Federation Cup final
“ They just need to put on their best, Enugu Rangers is beatable. The match officials should be fair to the two teams and let the better side win,” he added.