SPORTS
Nesiama Becomes First Nigerian Appointed Referee for World Athletics Relays
Nigeria’s growing influence in global athletics administration has received a major boost following the appointment of Commodore Omatseye Nesiama (Rtd) as an International Referee for the World Athletics Relays, Gaborone 2026. The event is scheduled to be held from May 2 to May 3 in Botswana.
The historic appointment makes Nesiama the first Nigerian ever to be entrusted with a refereeing role at the World Athletics Relays, one of the most prestigious competitions on the World Athletics calendar.
His engagement was confirmed in a formal communication from the Local Organising Committee of the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 2026 and made available yesterday in Abuja.
The confirmation was in recognition of his “expertise” and the confidence World Athletics places in his ability to uphold fairness, professionalism, and technical excellence. For many within the athletics fraternity, the appointment comes as no surprise.
A highly respected authority in athletics officiating and competition management, Nesiama served as Referee at the 2024 African Games in Accra, Ghana, where he played a pivotal role in delivering seamless technical operations at one of Africa’s biggest multi-sport events.
In addition to officiating, he was also appointed as a World Athletics certified lecturer to train Ghanaian technical officials ahead of the Games, further underlining the international trust in his competence and depth of knowledge.
Nesiama is a former Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and currently serves as the Chairman of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) Technical and Development Commission, where he continues to influence policy direction and technical growth in Nigerian sports.
He is also a respected member of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Technical and Competitions Commission, contributing to the development and standardisation of athletics competitions across the continent. Over the years, he has built an impressive résumé that transcends borders.
He has functioned as a Sports Management Consultant, Competition Director, Technical Delegate, World Athletics certified Lecturer, and Silver Level Referee, officiating at numerous national and international championships.
As a prelude to his assignment at the World Relays, Nesiama has also been invited to officiate at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, scheduled to take place a week before the World Relays.
The meet serves as a key test event ahead of the global competition, further demonstrating the confidence placed in his expertise.
His latest appointment not only underscores his individual excellence but also marks a significant milestone for Nigerian athletics administration.
It signals growing international recognition of Nigerian technical officials and their capacity to operate at the highest levels of global sport.
SPORTS
Mayweather Fights Kickboxer before Pacquiao Rematch
Floyd Mayweather will fight veteran Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis in an exhibition bout in June before his rematch with Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao, 47, and Mayweather, 49, will fight at Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday, 19 September, live on Netflix, in a rematch of their 2015 ‘Fight of the Century’ – the richest bout in boxing history.
And former five-weight champion Mayweather – who announced he would come out of retirement for a fourth time two weeks ago has decided to take on Zambidis in Athens to prepare for his first professional boxing match in nine years.
“2026 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for me,” American Mayweather said on Instagram.
“I’m on the way to entertain!! Athens, Greece, get ready. This summer will be a legendary battle.”
Zambidis, 45, boasts a 157-24 kickboxing record with 87 KOs. His last official fight was in June 2015.
Mayweather has not had a pro bout since beating mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor with a 10th-round technical knockout in 2017.
SPORTS
I Take Training Seriously but Ramadan is More Important – Mahamed
A marathon training block is tough enough. Fasting while preparing to take on the world’s best over 26.2 miles is harder still.
Mahamed Mahamed is among a talented generation of British male distance runners closing in on Mohamed Farah’s national record over the marathon distance.
But, as he builds towards this year’s London Marathon, the 28-year-old is currently finishing his sessions as late as 1am as he attempts to balance the demands of training at altitude with observing Ramadan.
Mahamed, fourth on the UK all-time list, has ignored advice to postpone his fasting while training to improve his personal best of two hours seven minutes and five seconds.
“Some people think I shouldn’t [fast while training],” Mahamed told the Press Association.
“Especially now, because I’ve got a competition coming up, they think I should focus on training for now and then maybe fast.
“But I’m used to it. It became my routine. I am grateful for that advice but I just get on with everything.”
Mahamed has based himself in the town of Ifrane in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains as he builds towards April’s race.
The location allows him to train safely under the floodlights of the track at night, alongside other Muslims currently observing the Islamic holy month of Ramadan by not eating or drinking during daylight hours.
At their longest, Mahamed’s days extend into the early hours of the morning. He will head out for his first session at around 4pm, then break his fast and attend mosque before completing a second session.
Once he is adequately refuelled, Mahamed will sleep for an hour or two and then wake for more food at about 4am, before returning to bed to top up on sleep.
“It’s a little bit hard,” Mahamed admitted.
“I take my job seriously, but Ramadan is the most important for me. It makes me focus as well. It makes me understand who I am and what I could do.”
Mahamed is among four active British marathon runners to have clocked under 2:08, alongside triathlete Alex Yee, Emile Cairess and Philip Sesemann, in what he describes as a “new era” cohort.
Fourth at the 2024 London Marathon, he will target a personal best in London before chasing a European Championship medal in Birmingham this summer.
SPORTS
Ronaldo Leaves Saudi Arabia for Madrid Following Strikes
Captain and forward for Al-Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo, has left Saudi Arabia for Madrid, Spain, following escalating tensions in the Middle East after US-Israeli strikes in Iran.
The 41-year-old departed Riyadh late at night aboard his £61 million ($81 million) Bombardier Global Express 6500 private jet.
His reported departure follows regional strikes.
The US embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones overnight, and Iranian state media reported that a command and staff building in Bahrain had also been destroyed.“Riyadh, where Ronaldo lives with his partner Georgina Rodriguez and their five children, has been affected by attacks linked to the regional conflict,” the report said.
Flightradar24 confirmed that the aircraft “departed Riyadh at 8:00 pm and arrived in Madrid at almost 1:00 am, flying a path over Egypt and the Mediterranean.”
The move follows US-Israeli military strikes in Iran on February 28, 2026, which reportedly killed several Iranian leaders. Iranian state media confirmed early on March 1 that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had been killed, declaring 40 days of mourning and a seven-day national holiday.
The Saudi Ministry of Defence said, “A limited fire broke out at the United States Embassy in Riyadh after it was hit by two drones,” noting the strike caused “minor material damage.”


