The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Rio

  • Swimmer Dan Wallace suspended over drink driving

    Swimmer Dan Wallace suspended over drink driving

     

    Olympic silver medallist Dan Wallace has been suspended from all national programmes after he admitted driving under the influence of alcohol.

    A joint statement from British Swimming and Scottish Swimming confirmed the 24-year-old will be banned from activity until September 12 for violating the athlete code of conduct.

    The Scot, who is based at the University of Stirling, will therefore not be eligible for next month’s World Championships in Budapest.

    He is expected to plead guilty to the offence when he appears in court.

    Wallace said in the statement: “It is with much regret that I was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol.

    “Not only have I let myself, my family and team-mates down, I have put others at risk and I am profoundly sorry for my actions. I recognise that I am in a position of influence and this type of behaviour is not acceptable in any way, shape or form.

    “I am now looking to rebuild trust in everyone who has supported me and put their faith in me, and will do whatever it takes to come through this a better, stronger person. I am deeply sorry.”

    The statement added that Wallace had “signed a letter of intent outlining his commitment to work with the necessary support systems provided and reaffirming his responsibility to British Swimming, Scottish Swimming and the University of Stirling as an athlete”.

    British Swimming national performance director Chris Spice and Scottish Swimming director of performance Ally Whike, in a joint statement, said: “This is clearly unacceptable behaviour from Dan and we are disappointed by his actions.

    “Dan has publicly acknowledged the seriousness of his mistake and is accepting of the consequences that must follow. Together, we will now support him through this difficult period to try to get this young and talented man back on track.”

    Wallace won a silver medal as a member of the 4x200metres freestyle relay team at the Olympics in Rio last summer. He won gold in the same event at the 2015 World Championships.

  • Kia to premiere new Rio in Paris

    Kia to premiere new Rio in Paris

    The all-new, fourth-generation Kia Rio will make its world premiere on September 29 in Paris, at the 2016 Mondial de l’Automobile.

    The Rio’s progressive new exterior and interior design was led by Kia’s design centres in Germany and California, in close collaboration with the company’s main design centre in Namyang, Korea.

    Straight lines and smooth surfacing give the car a distinctive new character, while a longer front overhang and bonnet, longer wheelbase, and upright C-pillar give the car an even more confident and balanced appearance than its predecessor.

    The all-new Rio will offer buyers class-leading practicality and safety technology, the latest connectivity features, and more assured and engaging ride and handling characteristics.

    The Kia Rio is the Korean manufacturer’s global best-selling model, with more than 473,000 sold around the world last year.

    The next generation will enter production towards the end of 2016 for Europe, with production timings for other regions to be announced closer to launch.

  • Rio Olympics: Dream Team VI resume camping Wednesday

    Rio Olympics: Dream Team VI resume camping Wednesday

    Nigeria U-23 team will resume training camp in Abuja on Wednesday, officials have disclosed.

    The team went on a short recess after the Suwon International Tournament in South Korea, where they lost to hosts Korea and Denmark, before they defeated Honduras.

    The Dream Team VI are scheduled to apply for entry visas to the United States and United Kingdom on their return to camp after an initial arrangement to do so earlier this month was shelved.

    The team will train in  the United States of America and England prior to the Rio Olympics in August.

  • Dalung, delegation inspect RIO facilities

    Dalung, delegation inspect RIO facilities

    The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung has described his delegation’s visit to Rio, venue of the forthcoming Olympic Games as indispensable .

    Dalung made the remark after a three day visit of facilities in Rio to be used by Nigerian athletes during the games.

    A five-man delegation comprising the minister, President and Secretary General of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Habu Gumel and Tunde Popoola, as well as the Director General of the National Sports Commission Alhassan Yakmut and the Director Federations and Elite Athletes Department, Mrs Hauwa-Kulu Akinyemi had visited facilities and the games village where Nigerian athletes will be residing throughout the games.

    According to the Minister, the visit was necessary to enable the ministry to plan ahead for the games.

    “Nigeria will be taking part in just a few sports and the venues are scattered across Rio. Our visit to the various venues, some of which are 90 per cent ready, was very essential to enable us to plan for our athletes. What we saw gave us a first hand information on what to expect in terms of movement, arrivals, accreditation and distance between games venues and athletes village as well as mode of transportation”.

    The delegation, which was also scheduled for inspection of facilities with the Malaysian delegation visited the  Riocentro Convention Centre which will host Badminton, table tennis and weightlifting events as well as the Carioca Arena 1&2 which will host basketball, judo and wrestling.

    The delegation also visited the Maraca Stadium, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies and football matches and the Olympic Stadium for track and field events.

    On the last day, there were presentations on NOC relations and services, sports entries, arrival and departure of athletes and officials, accommodation, ticketing, accreditation, hospitality House, medical services and dignitaries.

    The Rio Olympic Games start from August 5  to 21. More than 10,500 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees, including Kosovo and South Sudan for the first time, will take part in the 31st Olympiad.

    Nigeria will compete in athletics, canoeing, table tennis, men’s football, wrestling, power lifting and men’s basketball.

  • Rio hospitality project is new dawn – NOA DG

    Rio hospitality project is new dawn – NOA DG

    The Director -General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mike Omeri, has described the Rio Olympic Games Nigeria House Project as a new dawn in sports business.

    Omeri made the statement during a courtesy call by the Nigeria House Committee Project on Rio 2016 Olympics in his office at the Area 1 National Secretariat.

    He said he is happy because the committee deemed it fit to visit the NOA  underscoring the importance and how strategic the agency is in mobilising Nigerians regarding the task ahead.

    “I am happy with your visit which underscores the importance of who we are and what the NOA can do. I believe if there are two members in your sub-committee one should come from the NOA because of how strategic we are to actualise this project. The NOA remains at the vanguard of promoting whatever is good about Nigeria, it’s people, culture, landscape and everything. This government had talked about employment and poverty alleviation, therefore everything we do should be targeted at escaping from poverty and our youths taken away from social vices for the good of the society. I see what you are doing as further implementing the policy of this government. If there was no policy you won’t be here.”

    Accepting to partner with the Nigeria House Project Committee, Omeri directed that a senior officer in the agency be attached to a sub-committee in the project to ensure synergy between both bodies.

    “So, we will partner and work with you to ensure that our youths who have talents and capacity in sports can do something else with their energy and engage gainfully in sports. If they cannot work in government, there is a good opportunity in sports. Some people that have become world renowned and legends in the world came through sports and gone are the days where we thought sports are for drop outs. Today, the best athletes are professionals and those who have gone to school and we have plenty of such people in Nigeria. I will immediately send a representative of our agency to join your committee because we believe in what you are doing.

    “Therefore, for me, part of the build up is to have a National Summit on National Orientation Youth Sports and Entrepreneurship so that more people can come and participate in it. I am impressed that you are planning to go to the Olympics and showcase our culture and traditional sports because when you go to the Olympics there are a lot of sports competed at that level that does not showcase our tradition and culture. So, why can’t our own traditional sports be part of them? There are so many of them better than some sports we participate in during the Olympics. I am happy and very committed to it, this Olympics will be better for Nigeria because we are experiencing a new dawn. The agency will participate actively in all the plans”

    Earlier, while briefing the DG NOA, Project Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of the Nigeria House Project, Mohammed Abdullahi, told his host that the committee was there specifically to seek his agency’s support in the promotion and awareness of the hospitality business of sports through the Olympics.

    “We see the NOA as a key sector to partner with. We have a mandate to promote the image of this country through sporting activities. Olympics is a forum where you have over 205 countries coming to one venue and I think it is one of the best avenues to reach the world and project the image of the country. We also find it as a very conducive business environment to match make investors and Nigerians who also have something to offer. Countries are already on ground in Rio to secure space to do the same things we are going to do in Rio. For Nigeria, we have a lot to sell, a lot to expose and have so much aside the oil sector to showcase and this is the major aspect of the business taking us to Rio.

    “We shall also use the platform to showcase our traditional sports because if you go through the history of the Olympics and round the world, non of the 42 Olympic sports can trace its history to Africa.”

  • Kia Motors donates Rio to Lagos govt

    Kia Motors donates Rio to Lagos govt

    Kia Motors Nigeria has donated Rio to Lagos State government as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility.

    The donation, according to Jacky Hathiramani, Kia Motors Nigeria Managing Director, is to impact on the operating communities.

    “We foster a framework for collaboration with the government and recognise local initiatives for expanding the involvement in social contribution initiatives for the state. We are proud to partner with the Lagos State government for the actualisation of the state’s mega city project by advancing the frontiers of the industrialisation of the state with our assembly plant in the state,” Hathiramani said.

    Permanent Secretary, Office of the Chief of Staff, Abiodun Bamgboye, who received the car on behalf of government, said government will always provide an enabling environment for the success of the local businesses.

  • Rio Olympics qualifiers: Siasia contacts Ndidi

    Rio Olympics qualifiers: Siasia contacts Ndidi

    Genk of Belgium ace Wilfred Ndidi has disclosed he has been contacted by Nigeria U-23 coach Samson Siasia to be part of next month’s Rio Olympics qualifier in Senegal.

    “Siasia actually spoke to me when he came to watch the Super Eagles friendlies in Belgium. He said he wants me to be part of his squad for the Olympic qualifiers,” ex-Nath Boys of Lagos star Ndidi revealed.

    “I am always honoured to play for my country but the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have to first get my release from my club.”

    The Africa U-23 Nations Cup is not on the FIFA international calendar even though it will serve as a qualifying tournament for next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

    Ndidi, who will be 19 in December, has already featured for Nigeria at U17 and U23 levels.

    He is first and foremost a central defender, but this season he has played as a defensive midfielder for his Belgian club.

    He has won two full international caps against DR Congo and Cameroon during the Eagles recent friendlies in Belgium.

     

  • Nigerian boxers might miss out of Rio Olympics

     

    Nigeria will not be present at the 18th World Boxing Championships starting today in the gulf state of Qatar and might miss out from Rio 2016.

    According to the AIBA President, Dr Ching-Kuo Wu, the country might also not be in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil next year because the World Championship is the main qualifying event for the Olympic Games.

    He said: “This edition of the AIBA World Boxing Championships will be a key event in the run up to Rio 2016 as the top boxers from all five continents converge in Doha, Qatar, to compete for places at the Games”

    “For the first time, all boxers had to qualify to the World Championships ensuring that boxing fans will enjoy the most remarkable show the elite of the boxing world has to offer”

    The boxing team had earlier spoke of how disheartening the Nigerian flag was not hoisted at the African Championships due to the inability of the Nigeria Boxing Federation to raise funds to make the trip to Morocco.

    The tournament served as a qualifier for the world championships.

    Algeria, who were top of the boxing medals table at the just concluded African Games in Brazzaville will lead the African contingent at the tournament holding at the at Ali bin Hamad Al Attiya Indoor Arena, Doha. Other African countries participating include Morocco, Ghana, Uganda and Tunisia.

  • Dream Team not seeded for Rio Olympics qualifiers

    Dream Team not seeded for Rio Olympics qualifiers

    Nigeria’s Dream Team VI have not been seeded for the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, which will serve as qualifiers for next year’s Rio Olympics as hosts Senegal and Egypt are the seeded teams for today’s draw.

    Hosts Senegal will top Group A, while Egypt will headline Group B.

    This means that the other six finalists – Nigeria, Algeria, Mali, Zambia, Tunisia and South Africa – could be drawn in either group.

    The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals.

    The top three teams will automatically qualify for the Rio Olympics while the fourth best team will playoff for a ticket to the global competition.

    The Africa U-23 Cup of Nations  will be staged in November.

  • Rio 2016: Torch Relay to begin May 3

    Rio 2016: Torch Relay to begin May 3

    The Rio 2016 Olympic Torch is set to be handed over to Brazilian officials on April 27 next year, one week after its lighting in Ancient Olympia, it has been revealed, before beginning a 95-day journey criss-crossing around Brazil on May 3.

    As is traditional, the Torch will be lit in a special ceremony at the historic home of the Ancient Games in the Temple of Hera in the Greek town.

    After a week travelling around Greece, it is due to be handed over to Rio 2016 organisers with a special ceremony at the Panathenakos Arena in Athens, the stadium used at the first Modern Olympic Games in 1896.

    It will then travel straight to Brazil before officially beginning its journey in the capital Brasilia, lasting 95 days before the Olympic Cauldron is lit at the Opening Ceremony of the Games in the Maracanã Stadium, on August 5.

    A total of 12,000 bearers are set to participate in a journey visiting 83 cities including the 26 state capitals.

    It is estimated that the Torch’s journey will embrace 90 per cent of the population, with the full itinerary expected to be unveiled in January.

    The Torch will embark on a 95-day journey set to embrace 90 per cent of the Brazilian public ©Rio 2016The Torch will embark on a 95-day journey set to embrace 90 per cent of the Brazilian public ©Rio 2016

    It comes after the Torch was showcased to the Brazilian public in the Largo da Carioca, giving them the opportunity to “get to know” it personally in a sneak preview of what will be experienced next year.

    This included selfies and hundreds of people recording the Torch, which was revealed last month, as part of celebrations marking one-year-to-go until the Games begin.

    Hellenic Olympic Committee President Spyros Capralos is among officials currently here to mark these celebrations, speaking at a ceremony alongside Rio 2016 President Nuzman and International Olympic Committee head Thomas Bach.

    As well as a texture consisting of triangles running the length of its body, alluding to the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, one of its main innovations is the movement of these segments, which open up and expand vertically when the Olympic Flame is passed from one torchbearer to another.

    Upon expanding, the segments reveal the elements that add the Brazilian flavour: diversity, contagious energy and exuberant nature, with the soil, the sea, the mountains, the sky and the sun represented in the colours of the Brazilian flag, which are also present in the “visual identity” of Rio 2016, it is claimed