Athletes who represented Lagos State at the 22nd National Sports Festival Gateway Games held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, in May 2025, have begun receiving their cash rewards.

This followed the release of N36.3 million approved by the Lagos State Government for medal winners at the event.

Several athletes confirmed that payments had started hitting their accounts days after the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) announced that the rewards had been cleared by the government.

It was reported that team Lagos finished sixth overall at the Gateway Games, winning a total of 169 medals 38 gold, 43 silver and 88 bronze.

The incentive breakdown revealed 32 individual gold medal winners received N300, 000 each; five gold doubles winners also earned N300, 000 apiece and N700, 000 team prize shared among team members.

For silver medals, individual and doubles winners received N200, 000 each, while silver-winning teams shared N500, 000.

Bronze medals individual and doubles winners earned N150, 000 each, while bronze-winning teams shared N350, 000.

“We started receiving the payments last Friday after we were informed that the funds had been approved,” an athlete confirmed.

The development comes weeks after Lagos junior athletes recorded a historic outing at the 2025 National Youth Games in Asaba, where they dethroned hosts Delta State for the first time in the competition’s history.

Team Lagos topped the medals table with 110 medals 52 gold, 32 silver and 26 bronze.

Gov. Babajide Sanwo‑Olu promptly rewarded the junior athletes for their feat, before extending the same gesture to the senior athletes who competed at the National Sports Festival.

Reacting to the payments, Lekan Fatodu, Director-General of LSSC, reaffirmed that athletes’ welfare is a cornerstone of the state’s sports policy.

He added that a streamlined payment system now guarantees allowances are paid directly to athletes, while the appointment of an Athletes’ Liaison Officer, a former competitor, ensures concerns are heard and addressed at the highest levels.

Looking ahead to the 2026 National Sports Festival in Enugu, Fatodu said Lagos is determined to build on recent achievements.

Athletes themselves expressed confidence in surpassing past performances, noting that standards have been raised across the board.

“From qualification to the games proper, you have to earn your place. There will be no more jamborees, especially in team sports. We’ve all been working hard,” said Abass Khalid, who represented Lagos at the last festival.

Nigerian boxers have urged Anthony Joshua not to retire from the sport following the fatal car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of his close friends, with opinions divided on whether the British-Nigerian heavyweight should continue his career.

Former UBO champion Rasheed Idowu believes Joshua will eventually return to the ring despite rumours of his retirement after the December 29 accident.

“I don’t think he can retire that way.

“I think he just wants to honour his friends’ memory and legacy. He will return to boxing in due time. He has already returned to the gym, so I don’t think he can retire like that.

Former national champion Sikiru Alimi advised Joshua to take his time before making a final decision.

“He should return, but can take it very slow and be patient for now with his recovery and getting over the trauma,” Alimi said.

However, national silver medallist Samson Chukwuka suggested a different path for the 36-year-old heavyweight.

“I think with what happened, he should retire and become an ambassador. There is no way he will go into the ring, and he won’t remember his friends he lost who were a big part of his boxing,” Chukwuka told our correspondent.

“It will cause a problem when a boxer gets distracted. He can become a boxing ambassador now.”

The crash on December 29 killed Joshua’s personal trainer, Latif Ayodele and long-time strength and conditioning Coach Sina Ghami.

Joshua’s uncle, Adedamola Joshua, previously told our correspondent that the heavyweight fighter had informed his family of his decision to retire.

“The major thing there is that he has retired from boxing. That is one thing that makes us glad because each time he’s fighting in the ring, we are always carried away emotionally,” Adedamola said during a visit to the family home in Sagamu.

“Each time he’s knocked down, it is just like the heart is coming out of our chest. All these emotional feelings whenever he’s fighting, it’s too much trauma for us, also.

Now that he has said that he’s leaving while the ovation is highest, we are happy.”

However, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has expressed uncertainty over Joshua’s future, revealing that the fighter is currently training “for his own mind” rather than preparing for a comeback.

“At the moment, there is no conversation or no need to have a conversation about that. It’s just… ‘AJ’ will always train,” Hearn told iFL TV after visiting Joshua in Dubai.

“What you are seeing at the moment is not him training for his return. He is training for his own mind. And he is training himself physically to recover and repair. I just cannot believe his strength and resilience.”

Former opponent Oleksandr Usyk contradicted the retirement claims, revealing that Joshua still has the desire to continue fighting.

“I’ve already spoken with him. I heard a desire to continue in his voice — for the friends he lost and for the chance to live that the Lord gave him,” Usyk told Ready to Fight.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sanctioned Senegal and hosts Morocco after disorder marred the TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 final in Rabat.

CAF said its Disciplinary Board punished the Senegalese and Moroccan federations, players and officials for breaching the CAF Disciplinary Code during and after the finals.

Senegal edged Morocco 1–0 after extra time, but protests, pitch confrontations and crowd unrest followed a controversial Video Assistant Referee decision late in the match.

CAF handed Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw a five-match suspension for unsporting conduct and fined him 100,000 dollars for bringing the game into disrepute.

Senegal players Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr received two-match CAF bans for unsporting behaviour.

The Senegal federation was fined 615,000 dollars.

Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi got a two-match suspension, one suspended for a year. Midfielder Ismaël Saibari received a three-match ban and 100,000-dollar fine.

The Moroccan federation was fined 315,000 dollars for ball boys’ misconduct, VAR area invasion by officials and players, and supporters’ use of laser pointers.

CAF also dismissed Morocco’s protest alleging regulatory breaches by Senegal, ruling that the complaint lacked merit under AFCON regulations.

The final descended into chaos after a VAR-awarded penalty to Morocco triggered protests and a brief walk-off by Senegalese players, halting play for nearly 20 minutes.

Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy later saved Brahim Díaz’s penalty, before Pape Gueye scored in extra time to secure Senegal’s historic victory.

Before the sanctions, FIFA President Gianni Infantino condemned the incidents, describing the scenes as unacceptable.

“We strongly condemn the behaviour of some ‘supporters’ as well as some Senegalese players and technical staff members.

“It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner,” Infantino said.

“It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport; it is simply not right.”

CAF said the sanctions underscored its stance on discipline, fair play and respect for match officials, closing a turbulent chapter of AFCON 2025.