Brazil 2014: Nigeria Supporters Club demand 62 million condoms

The Nigeria Football and other Sports Supporters Club (NFSSC) on Monday demanded for the provision of 62 million condoms for fans attending the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Rafiu Ladipo, President-General of NFSSC, who made the demand in Abuja, appealed to the United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) to take the demand very seriously.
Ladipo’s appeal came on the heels of assurance by Bilali Camara, UNAIDS Country Director, that two million condoms would be provided for the entire duration of the 2014 World Cup.

He said instead of two million for the entire duration, UNAIDS should provide two million condoms each day for the 31-day tournament.

“Of all football loving fans all around the world, I alone will be taking over 10,000 fans to Brazil, not only from Nigeria.

“You know that Nigeria will be playing their first three matches and there is going to be a match between Nigeria and Argentina.

“By the time we play that match, we will regard it as the match that will also qualify us to play Brazil in Rio de Janeiro during the final.

“If that is achieved, we want to be protected; we must be protected.

`So, I want to urge you (UNAIDS) to provide more condoms,’’ he added.

According to him, it is important for UNAIDS to look into the request to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS during the World Cup.

He said the availability of condoms would help protect football fans who might want to have sex in Brazil after their daily assignment.

Nigeria is drawn in Group F alongside Argentina, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Mundial, which kicks off on June 12.

Eagles World Cup jersey to be probed

The House of Representatives Committee on Sports have criticized the colour of the recently unveiled Nigeria national team jersey and threatened to carry out a probe to ascertain why the traditional colours were not selected by the manufacturers.

Chairman of the Committee, Godfrey Ali Gaiya, while expressing his dissatisfaction with the new jersey faulted the shade of green used, stating that it is contrary to the traditional national colours.

“For me, the Green is not our national colour, I would have preferred the green that we know, I would have preferred the colour that is in our flag, but again, those that designed it have their reason that they have to explain.”

Gaiya’s ire with the new jersey is borne out of the suspicion that the colours may have been influenced by telecommunications company, Globacom, who are one of the major corporate sponsors of the national teams.

“I would not know whether Globacom influenced the choice of the colour of the new Super Eagles jersey, but we will look into it and whatever we find out we will let the world know,” he said.

New jersey for the Super Eagles

The Nigerian football federation today unveiled a brand new jersey for the 2014 FIFA world cup in Brazil.

The jersey, which will be officially launched on March 5th when the Nigerian national team meets Mexico in a pre-world cup friendly taking place in Atlanta, Georgia

Head of the marketing department, Mr. Adama Idris has described the jersey as a 'climacool' designed to fit into all weather as the Brazilian weather changes over time depending on location.

The colour of the jersey is lemon green, a totally different one from the green color typically associated with   the Nigerian national flag.

What do you think about the jersey?

Nigeria can reach the final of the World Cup- Keshi

The gaffer of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi has declared that the team do have what it takes to get to the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup holding in Brazil.

The coach added that the Super Eagles are not afraid of any opposition as the world awaits the draw, scheduled for Friday, December 6.

“All 32 countries have equal opportunities of doing well because they are the best from the different continents of the world at the moment. Same goes for Nigeria. I believe we have a team that can do well and go as far as the final. For me, I’m open to facing any team at the World Cup as we cannot determine who and who we want to play against” he said in an interview with supersport.com.

He added that, ““our concern right now is to do well at the World Cup next year. The World Cup is always a big stage to show what you’re capable of doing as a player and as a team. But right now we will concern ourselves with preparing for the World Cup rather than bother about who our opponents will be”.

Below is the full seeding.

Pot 1 Spain, Germany, Argentina, Colombia, Belgium, Uruguay, Switzerland, Brazil

Pot 2 Japan, Iran, South Korea, Australia, USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras

Pot 3 Chile, Ecuador, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroon, France.

Pot 4 Netherlands, Italy, England, Portugal, Greece, Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Russia

I don’t need foreign assistant- Keshi

The Super Eagles head coach insists that there is no need for the employment of a foreign technical adviser for the national team for the Brazil 2014 Fifa World Cup

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has maintained that he won’t be in need of assistance from any foreign technical adviser for the Super Eagles towards an impressive outing at the Fifa 2014 World Cup.

The former Malian gaffer said he is taken aback hearing people talk about the appointment of a foreign coach when he did not use any to win the Africa Cup of Nations or to qualify for the World Cup.

 "I don't need any foreign technical assistance to guide the Super Eagles to perform well at the World Cup so if one is suggested I will politely reject the offer because I already have capable assistants working with me,” he told Complete Sports

"Let them (football authority in the country)  provide us an enabling atmosphere and requirement and we shall get the job done in Brazil. We are not saying we shall win the World Cup but we shall make an impact,” concluded Keshi.

Keshi and his assistants are being owed seven months salaries.

Burkina Faso protest Algeria win over 'ineligible' player

The Burkina Faso football federation (FBF) have complained to FIFA over what they say was the ineligible participation of Algerian defender Madjid Bougherra in Tuesday's World Cup play-off defeat.

The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations runners-up claim Bougherra - who scored the only goal in Blida which pulled Algeria level 3-3 on aggregate and took them to Brazil on away goals - should have been suspended, while they also appealed against the performance of Senegalese referee Badara Diatta.

According to FBF president Sita Sangare, Bougherra picked up a yellow card during the group stage of qualifying against Mali and also went into the book during Burkina Faso's 3-2 win in the first leg of their play-off, which should have ruled him out of the second leg.

The federation have also argued that Diatta failed to play out the full four minutes of injury time, depriving them the chance of a late equaliser which would have qualified them for next year's finals in Brazil.

Burkina Faso have never appeared at a World Cup finals.


Information from mtnfootball.com was used in this report.

Enyeama, Onazi promise victory against Malawi

..... Reps order NFF to pay Eagles $10, 000

Super Eagles stand in skipper, Vincent Enyeama, was in a jolly mood as the team held its media parley with the national team yesterday morning, declaring that he was not in competition with any of the goalies for the number one shirt of the national team.

Enyeama also gave a hint that sooner than later he will quit the Super Eagles, even as Lazio of Italy midfield youngster, Ogenyi Onazi assured that the team will come out clean against Malawi on Saturday.

Enyeama, who spoke first, told the media that the three goalkeepers in the national team, himself, Austin Ejide and Chigozie Agbim are in the form of their lives and any of them will man the post well if chosen by the national team handlers. “All of us are good and I must say I am not in competition with any of them neither are they with me. Nigeria is blessed with great talents and it’s always good when you are called up to play”.

Onazi on his part said he and his teammates are fired up for Saturday’s game and assured that the team will not disappoint despite the furore that has been generated ahead of the encounter.

The team trained under rainfall yesterday at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar, Nigeria’s preferred tourism destination with Sports Commissioner, Patrick Ugbe monitoring proceedings.

Keshi said during training that whether it rains or not, the team was ready for the battle against Malawi, declaring the focus is not only to win against Malwai but to get to the World Cup Championship in Brazil next year.

The heavy rains prevented some of the players from coming for the evening training.
Meanwhile the Chairman, House Committee on Sports , Godfrey Ali Gaiya has declared that the decision by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to begin the implementation of the Segun Adeniyi-led panel report to pay the Super Eagles $5, 000 bonuses is untimely and counterproductive.

In a chat with newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the lawmaker advised the NFF to jettison the idea of implementing the Segun Adeniyi committee’s report for now because it could be counterproductive.

Gaiya said that since the report has not been fully adopted by the National Sports Commission (NSC), the prerogative of the NFF to decide the bonus that would be paid to the players should not arise.

“The boys need all the concentration now. They don’t need anything that would distract them.

“The NFF should return to status quo and pay them the $10,000 for now, pending when the full report would be adopted and released by the Sports Commission” Gaiya said.

Meanwhile, NFF president, Aminu Maigari had a different opinion to the lawmaker, saying that they will only pay $5,000 as winning bonuses in the all-important World Cup qualifier.

“We cannot pay $10, 000 at this time and we have made it abundantly clear. We cannot return to any status quo as is being suggested” he said.

Maigari said that his biggest dream as the president of the NFF is to see that the country’s flag is hoisted in Brazil come 2014.

“My biggest dream is the World Cup ticket, and we are working hand in hand with the various arms of government to ensure that this becomes a reality. We have been able to get to this stage because we operate an open door policy which is the basic secret of our successes” he said.

Messi is better than Neymar, Ronaldo - Maradona

Argentina legend Diego Maradona believes Lionel Messi is still a cut above Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Messi remains the best in the world. He is still a better player than Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo."

Maradona also had his say on the 2014 World Cup and he is hopeful that Argentina can emerge victorious in Brazil.

"Next year's World Cup belongs to South Americans. I hope Argentina will be crowned champions," he added.

The Napoli icon believes that Spain would not have lost the Confederations Cup final against Brazil had the game been played at a neutral venue.

The European and world champions were comfortably beaten 3-0 at the Maracana following a double from Fred either side of a Neymar strike and the 52-year-old feels the hostile environment affected Vicente del Bosque's men.

"Spain were unlucky that the tournament was being played in Brazil. They looked promising. Brazil wouldn't have beaten them had the game been played on neutral ground," he told reporters on a visit to Indonesia.

Information from goal.com used in this report.