Sports
Messi, Ronaldo to Clash in UCL Group Stage
By Adedapo Adesanya
The two best footballers in the world, Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus will again meet face-to-face for the first time since 2018 in the group stage of this season’s Champion League organised by the Union of European Football Association (UEFA).
The respective clubs of the two players have been put under the same group in the draws held on Thursday. The duo will be expected to give fans something to savour again after Ronaldo left Real Madrid in Spain to join his new Italian outfit.
Speaking of spectators at the stadiums, UEFA has said it will allow the partial return of fans for UEFA matches where local laws permit, starting from next week’s national team matches.
This followed the successful test match between Bayern Munich and Sevilla (the UEFA Super Cup) in Budapest, Hungary on 24 September.
Business Post understands that the number of spectators will be capped at a maximum of 30 per cent of the respective stadium capacity and away supporters will not be allowed into the games until further notice.
Both the admission of fans and the capacity limit are subject to the decision of local authorities. UEFA matches cannot be played with spectators where local authorities do not allow it and the limit of 30 per cent may be reached only where the limit set by local authorities is not lower, in which case such limit would apply.
Social distancing will be mandatory for spectators and additional precautionary measures, such as the wearing of masks must be implemented in accordance with local regulations.
These measures form part of the ‘UEFA Minimum Health and Hygiene Requirements for the Return of Spectators‘ which were approved by the UEFA Executive Committee and which match organisers will have to respect. However, the exact health and safety measures that must be adopted must be based on the local situation and on specific laws and regulations imposed by competent local authorities.
The UEFA Super Cup demonstrated that it is possible for fans to attend football matches in the right circumstances by putting their health and safety first with comprehensive mitigating measures in place. The match also demonstrated the acceptance of fans for precautionary sanitary measures and their readiness to follow them and behave accordingly.
Commenting on the decision, UEFA President, Mr Aleksander Čeferin, said: “Today’s decision is a sensible first step which puts fans’ health first and respects the laws in each country. While we all face a common enemy in COVID, different countries have different approaches and different challenges at any given moment. This decision allows much more local flexibility to deal with admitting fans than was previously the case, always respecting the assessment of local authorities.
“27 countries on the continent already allow fans to some extent. This decision will allow for a coherent approach on a country-by-country basis and not on a competition-by-competition basis which was sometimes difficult to understand for fans.
“In these difficult times, it is important to bring more hope and passion back into the lives of football fans and we urge them to behave appropriately and respect sanitary measures in place for their own health and for the health of their fellow club or national team supporters,” he noted.
At the UEFA Champions League draws held today, the following teams were put in eight groups:
Group A – Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Salzburg, Lokomotiv Moscow.
Group B – Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan, Borussia Mnchengladbach.
Group C – Porto, Manchester City, Olympiakos, Marseille.
Group D – Liverpool, Ajax, Atalanta, Midtjylland.
Group E – Sevilla, Chelsea, Krasnodar, Rennes.
Group F – Zenit St. Petersburg, Borussia Dortmund, Lazio, Club Brugge.
Group G – Juventus, Barcelona, Dynamo Kyiv, Ferencvros.
Group H – Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, RB Leipzig, Istanbul Baakehir.
During the draws, awards were given and the best defenders of the men’s and women’s Champions League were – Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich and Lyon’s Wendie Renard.
The best midfielders of the men’s and women’s Champions League were – Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne and Lyon’s Dzsenifer Marozsan.
The best forward of the men’s and women’s Champions League were – Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski and Wolfsburg’s Pernille Harder (she now plays for Chelsea). Also, the UEFA men’s and women’s player of the year went to both footballers.
The best manager of the men’s and women’s Champions League were – Bayern Munich’s Hansi Flick and Lyon’s Jean-Luc Vasseur.
In the face of travel restrictions, UEFA has noted that it will allow matches on neutral territory. If a club suffers a Covid-19 outbreak, a game can go ahead as long as each team has at least 13 fit players including one goalkeeper.
The group stage starts on October 20, more than a month later than usual, and all six rounds of games will be packed into eight weeks.
However, in the event of more delays, UEFA has set January 28 as the deadline to complete the group stage.
Sports
GOtv Boxing Night 33: Microbiology Graduate Boxer, Shogbesan, Vows to Floor Opponent with Tech and Biology
Sikiru “Omo Iya Eleja” Shogbesan, Nigeria’s first graduate boxer, has vowed to use his knowledge of technology and biology to floor Segun Gbobaniyi when they clash at GOtv Boxing Night 33 on 26 April at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
Shogbesan, who was discovered at GOtv Boxing NextGen Search, the talent discovery and nurturing initiative that has produced many top boxers, holds a Higher National Diploma in Microbiology, Ordinary National Diploma in science laboratory technology, graduating with Upper Credit at both levels, and has completed the mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps programme.
Speaking at his training base in Lagos on Friday, Shogbesan said his knowledge of technology and biology has always helped in the ring and it would be put to use against Gbogbaniyi against whom he would fight in the lightweight category.
“Segun (Gbobaniyi) does not know what is coming. Even if he does, he will not know how to deal with it. In the ring, I am guided by knowledge of technology and biology, both of which I studied in school. Both fields help me in determining what to do when I am in the ring. Segun will not go beyond three rounds. Mark my words,” he boasted.
In the super featherweight division, Sodiq Oyakojo will face Lateef “Latest” Azeez. The super bantamweight category will see a fight between Durotimi Agboola and Sodiq Adeleke. The event will stage to light welterweight bouts. One will feature William “Kaki” Amosu and Emmanuel ‘Ability” Abimbola, while the other will see a clash between Tobiloba Ijomoni and Hassan Kareem. There will also be a female super flyweight female bout Ayisat Oriyomi and Olofintunyi Iyanuoluwa.
Weather plays a crucial role in golf strategy, influencing everything from club selection to shot execution. Punters have a chance to win on 1xBet betting site when wagering on everything that happens during golf matches too.
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A strong headwind can shorten a shot’s distance, requiring players to use a more powerful club or adjust their swing to keep the ball low. A tailwind, on the other hand, adds extra carry, so golfers may opt for a shorter club to maintain control. Crosswinds demand precision, as they can push the ball off course. Skilled golfers learn to shape shots making 2 things: a fade or draw. The idea is to counteract wind direction.
Playing in rainy conditions
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In heavy rain, maintaining a firm grip becomes challenging, making rain gloves and towels essential. Golfers may also need to alter putting speed, as wet greens are slower than dry ones.
Temperature and humidity
Temperature is a 3rd essential factor to consider. Cold weather reduces ball compression, resulting in shorter distances. Golfers often use softer balls in lower temperatures to maximize performance. Conversely, warm weather increases ball compression, allowing for greater distance. Players also need to adjust clothing layers, as restricted movement from bulky attire can hinder swing mechanics. Everyone is invited to 1x Bet register today to wager on the most capable golfers from all over the world.
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By Adedapo Adesanya
The Zimbabwean Minister of Sports, Ms Kirsty Coventry, has been elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
She became the first woman and African to hold the position vacated by Mr Thomas Bach, who has been on the seat for the last 12 years.
The Zimbabwe sports minister and two-time Olympic swimming gold medalist got a stunning first-round win in the seven-candidate contest after voting by nearly 100 of her colleagues in the IOC membership on Thursday.
She gets an eight-year mandate into 2033.
According to reports, the election was the most open and hard-to-call IOC presidential election in decades with no clear front-runner before the vote.
She beat Mr Sebastian Coe, the UK’s two-time Olympic 1500m champion, who oversaw the London 2012 Games before taking charge of World Athletics as well as Spanish businessman Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch, who is currently the IOC’s vice-president; Sweden-born businessman and ski federation president Mr Johan Eliasch; Japan’s Mr Morinari Watanabe – head of the international gymnastics federation; French cycling chief Mr David Lappartient and Jordanian Prince Feisal al-Hussein.
Ms Coventry’s win also was a victory for outgoing IOC president Mr Bach, who has long been seen as promoting her as his successor.
He was also lauded for his role in sporting achievements including navigating the Olympics after the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent Paris 2024 Olympics.
“I will make all of you very, very proud and hopefully extremely confident in the decision you have taken,” Ms Coventry said in her acceptance speech.
Her first tournament in the role will be the Milano Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in February 2026, followed by the LA Summer Games in July 2028.
Ms Coventry’s IOC will also need to find a host for the 2036 Summer Games which is expected to be hosted in India or the Middle East.
She will be tasked towards navigating a lot of political and sporting issues necessitated by changing global trends.
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