SPORTS
Wheelchair Tennis Players Seek Sponsorship for Kenya Championship
Three wheelchair tennis players have appealed for sponsorship to enable them participate in the International Wheelchair Tennis Championship, coming up in Kenya in February.
The Kenya championship will serve as qualifiers for the Banque Nationale de Paris [BNP] Paribas World Team Cup, scheduled to begin on March 17, 2022 in Instanbul, Turkey.
The wheelchair tennis players are William-Terlumun Ukari, Wasiu Yusuf and Dorcas-Foluke Shodeinde.
Ukari said yesterday in Abuja that each player would require at least N1.5 million for air ticket and entry fee.
He urged the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, private organisations and philanthropists to help fund the trip.
“We were unable to meet up with some of the championships due to lack of funds; this time we are urging private firms, philanthropists and lovers of sports to support us.
“This is the only work we have and we need to participate in some of these international events to grow beyond our level.
“We are fathers and mothers in our families and we must bring food on the table to feed our families, we need help, we need support, we need sponsors,” Ukari.
He said the entry fee for each player is 350 dollars while the flight ticket is N380,000 per player.
The Wheelchair Tennis Open in Nairobi will hold from Feb. 28 to March 10, 2022. (NAN)
SPORTS
WAFCON 2026: Super Falcons to Know Group Foes Today
Holders Nigeria’s Super Falcons will discover their group opponents at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday.
The draw ceremony will be held at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat.
The Confederation of African Football, CAF, has expanded the biennial competition to 16 teams.
The Super Falcons, hosts Morocco Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde are among the teams that will compete for the title.
Others are Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
The 16 qualified teams will be seeded into four pots based on the FIFA Women’s World Ranking from 11 December 2025.
CAF will also announce the winners of the CAF Women’s Coach of the Year and other outstanding women’s football awards at the draw ceremony.
The WAFCON 2026 finals will run from 17 March to 3 April, 2026.
SPORTS
Super Eagles Threaten to Boycott Algeria Match over Unpaid Bonuses
Super Eagles players have threatened not to travel to Marrakech for their next Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) match against Algeria unless all outstanding winning bonuses are paid by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
A highly reliable source within the team disclosed.
According to the source, players and officials are reportedly still awaiting their bonus payments from the tournament.
It was gathered that win bonuses for the four matches against Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and Mozambique have yet to be settled.
While the team remains committed to the competition, they have made it clear that they will not train or travel to Marrakech for the next match unless the outstanding payments are resolved, our source confirmed.
Recall that in November, the team also threatened to boycott their 2026 World Cup qualifier against Gabon, citing unpaid entitlements.
In a joint statement signed by players and staff, the squad said, “The full squad, including officials, withheld from training today in Morocco because of unresolved issues with outstanding payments. The Super Eagles are awaiting a quick resolution to continue preparations for Thursday’s game with Gabon.”
SPORTS
Chelsea Appoint Rosenior New Head Coach
Chelsea have announced the appointment of Liam Rosenior as their new head coach.
Rosenior will take charge at Stamford Bridge following Enzo Maresca’s departure last week.
The 41-year-old signed a contract until 2032.
Rosenior arrived at the London club after coaching overseas with RC Strasbourg, where he led the French club to European qualification for the first time in 19 years in his first season, and following earlier roles in England with Hull City and Derby County.
‘I am extremely humbled and honoured to be appointed Head Coach of Chelsea Football Club. This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies,” Rosenior told the club’s official website.
‘My job is to protect that identity and create a team that reflects these values in every game we play as we continue winning trophies. To be entrusted with this role means the world to me and I want to thank all involved for the opportunity and faith in undertaking this job. I will give everything to bring the success this club deserves.
‘I believe deeply in teamwork, unity, togetherness and working for one another, and those values will be at the heart of everything we do. They will be the foundation of our success.
‘I am excited to work with this extremely talented group of players and staff, to build strong connections on and off the pitch, and to create an environment where everyone feels united and driven by the same goal.
‘There is a real hunger to win, and I will give everything, every single day, to help this team compete and win at the very highest level to make everyone connected and proud to be a part of Chelsea Football Club.
‘I want our fans to be proud of who we are and what we represent in every single game that we play. They are the soul of this enormous, historic and huge football club.
‘I cannot wait to meet you all. I cannot wait to get started.’

