Meet Sensei Tomiko, the Japanese instructor for 3rd Saleh Karate Open

JAPANESE instructor, Sensei Tomiko Mitsuoka is already in Nigeria for the 3rd edition of the Zainab Saleh International Female Open Karate Championship scheduled to hold from 1st to 5th June at the Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

3rd Zainab Saleh Karate Championship begins Wednesday

THE third edition of the Zainab Saleh International Female Open Karate Championship begins on Wednesday with a seminar and interactive session for children and adults of all ages, grades and styles at the Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Okiki Afolabi not for sale, says Sunshine Stars

SUNSHINE Stars of Akure have stressed they have no intention of selling key player, Okiki Afolabi to Enyimba or any other club during the current Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) transfer window.

Huge turn-out at Eaglets screening

THE eagerly awaited screening of budding talents into the U-17 National Team, Golden Eaglets started on Tuesday at the NFF\FIFA Goal Project in Abuja with large turn-up of players from nooks and crannies of the country.

ABU TITLE DEFENSE: Injury stops Larry Ekundayo

NIGERIA'S African Boxing Union Champion, Larry Ekundayo, has pulled out of his title defense fight against the Tanzanian boxing star Saidi Mundi billed to hold this Saturday 4th June in London because of injury.

Undefeated Ekundayo, who won the belt in October 2015, damaged his hands during training in preparation for the much publicized fight, sportsbiz247.blogspot.com reports.

SUWON TOURNEY: Dream Team lands in Korea

THE Nigeria U-23 team, Dream Team, on Tuesday evening arrived in Suwon, Korea Republic, venue of 4 -nation invitational tournament in which the team will be involved from Thursday.

SUWON TOURNEY: Awoniyi optimistic as Dream Team departs for South Korea

DREAM Team VI striker, Taiwo Awoniyi is already looking forward to represent Nigeria again as the Under-23 side departed the shores of the country on Monday for South Korea ahead of the Suwon Invitational tournament.

FIFA U-17 WWC: Flamingoes draw Brazil, England, Korea DPR

NIGERIA Under-17 women team, the Flamingoes have been drawn against Brazil, England and Korea DPR  in Group C of this year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, Jordan 2016. 

LUXEMBOURG VS NIGERIA: We will play to win, Salisu assures

SUPER Eagles interim coach, Salisu Yusuf, has said the Nigerian side will not under-estimate Red Lions of Luxembourg and will go for a win in Tuesday’s international friendly at the Stade Josy Barthel.

Yobo bags chieftaincy title

FORMER Nigeria defender Joseph Yobo has been honoured with a chieftaincy tittle, Mene Aborlo 1 of Ogoniland by the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers and Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty, King G. N. K. Gininwa, OFR.

NNL: Prime coach satisfied with 1-0 victory over UNICEM

PRIME Football Club started the 2015/2016 Nigeria National League on a winning note with a 1-0 win over newcomers, UNICEM Rovers Football Club of Calabar. 

RIO OLYMPIC QUALIFIER:D'Tigress lose again in friendly

NIGERIA female national basketball team, D’Tigress continued their preparation towards the Rio 2016 Women Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) with a 67-56 points loss once again to Turkey in another friendly match in Istanbul on Saturday.

Kogi Utd beats Shekarau Babes 1-0 in NNL opener

KOGI United began their new Nigeria National League, NNL season with a 1-0 home win over newcomers, Shekarau Babes FC from Kano.

OLYMPIC QUALIFIER: D'Tigress lose to Turkey 68-56 points in warm-up

THE Nigerian female national basketball team, D’Tigress on Friday lost 68-56 points to Turkey in Istanbul in a warm-up game which serves as preparations for the Rio 2016 Women Olympic Qualifying Tournament WOQT scheduled for June 13-19, 2016 in France.

Match Officials announced for NNL opening games

NAMES of Match Officials for the Week 1 of the Nigeria National League (NNL), scheduled to hold this weekend across the country have been released.

The long awaited 2015/16 season kicks-off with 16 matches in different centers, sportsbiz247.blogspot.com reports.

SUWON TOURNEY: Siasia picks Okechukwu, Awoniyi, 18 others

HEAD Coach of the Nigeria U-23 team, Samson Siasia has selected 20 players made up of 12 home -based and eight overseas-based professionals for next month’s Suwon Invitational Tournament in Korea Republic.

Carl Ikeme: I want to keep playing until I'm 40

SUPER Eagles first choice goalkeeper Carl Ikeme says he feels ‘better than ever’ with his recent form and wants to carry on playing until he is 40, sportsbiz247.blogspot.com reports.

Fed Cup victory, good preparation for NNL, says Ishaya Jatau

KOGI United Head Coach, Ishaya Jatau has described his side's Federation Cup  victory over Ekiti United as the best moment to prepare for the new Nigeria National League, NNL season starting this weekend.

Prime to kick-start NNL against UNICEM in Oshogbo

FANS and supporters of Prime Football Club will welcome back their darling team at home when the Nigeria National League kicks off on Saturday across the nation.

FEDERATION CUP: Rangers' Chisom ruled out of Akure City tie

RANGERS International of Enugu forward, Chisom Egbuchulam been ruled out of Friday’s Federation Cup round of 64 match against Akure City FC due to illness, Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com reports.

SUWON TOURNEY: Siasia to name Dream Team squad on Friday

NIGERIA Under-23 handler, Samson Siasia is expected to release the list of players for next month's Suwon Invitational Tournament in South Korea on Friday.

The tourney will serve as preparation for the Dream Team VI ahead of the football event of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

Osaze, Sarah celebrate 4th wedding anniversary

NIGERIA international Peter Osaze Odemwingie and Sarah Fallon celebrated their anniversary on Thursday four years after tying the knot in Northampton, England Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com reports.

The Stoke City forward and Sarah got married on 26 May 2012 at a small church in the grounds of Castle Ashby in Northampton after two years of dating. They are blessed with two boys.

Ideye glad to be back in Eagles

OLYMPIAKOS of Greece forward Brown Ideye has expressed delight over his return to the national team set up.

FEDERATION CUP: Giwa, Heartland crash out

.3SC, MFM, Rivers Utd secure win

Giwa FC of Jos and Heartland FC of Owerri were the major casualties of the round of 64 Federation Cup games played across the country on Wednesday.

While Giwa suffered a 2-0 loss in the hands of Sunshine Stars at the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja, Heartland FC crashed out 4-3 on penalties to non-League team, Top World FC of Ekiti at Oleh Township Stadium.

2015/16 NNL kicks-off this weekend

THE long awaited 2015/16 Nigeria National League (NNL) kicks-off this weekend with 16 matches scheduled for the first week of the League across different centres in the country.

Secretary of the nation’s second tier football league, Lawrence Katken,has confirmed that there is no going back on the date of commencement after the 2015/16 season had suffered series of setbacks.

FEDERATION CUP:Prime defeat Inneh Stars 2-1

PRIME Football Club progressed to the next round of the Federation Cup with a win over Inneh Stars Football Club of Benin at the Onikan Stadium on Wednesday evening.

A quality performance by Victor Okeji inspired the Omoluabi Giants to beat the non-league side 2-1 in the Federation Cup Round of 64.

OPEIFA CUP: 100 students for handball clinic

ABOUT 100 students will be selected for a handball clinic in Lagos State from over 1000 students that participated at the 2^nd edition of the Opeifa Cup Lagos Secondary Schools Handball Championship.

FEDERATION CUP: Oladimeji charges Kwara Utd to beat Galadima Best

.Obuh remains optimistic

PLAYERS and officials of Kwara United FC have been charged to put in their best in their Round of 64 Federation Cup match against Galadima Best, holding on Wednesday in Abuja.

FEDERATION CUP: Prime won't underrate Inneh Stars, says Afolabi

2012 Federation Cup giant killers, Prime Football Club will be up against Inneh Stars Football Club of Benin, on Wednesday at the Onikan Stadium in the Round of 64 Federation Cup pairing.

WORLD WRESTLING TITLE: Power Lee ready to face Damien Wayne in California

AFTER successfully defending his Pro Wrestling Africa (PWA) Heavyweight title, Nigerian heavyweight wrestler, Godspower Ikpide, popularly called Power Lee De Great has now shifted his focus on the Allied Independent Wrestling Federation (AIWF) World title fight against Damien Wayne Kostyal.

OLYMPICS: Siasia sets Wednesday deadline for foreign-based players

AS preparations for the football event of Rio 2016 Olympics hot up, Coach Samson Siasia has handed down a warning to all the invited foreign-based players for the Suwon Invitational Tournament to report to camp on Wednesday or forget about making the team to the Games.

SOUTH WEST RUGBY LEAGUE: Cowrie, Racing, Lagos Rugby Club secure vital victories

DEFENDING champion, Cowrie Rugby Football Club, Racing RFC and Lagos RFC recorded victories in the CMB Building Maintenance and Inv. Co. Ltd sponsored South West Rugby League Week 4 matches held at the main bowl of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

FEDERATION CUP: Round of 64 matches begin on Wednesday

THE Round of 64 matches of this year’s men Federation Cup competition, as well as the first round matches of the women competition, will begin across the country on Wednesday.

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Enyimba draw Zamalek, Sundowns

ENYIMBA will face Zamalek of Egypt in the group stages of the Caf Champions League having been drawn together in Group B.

The People's Elephants will also face ES Setif of Algeria and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa as they look to plot a way through to the knockout stages for the third African crown.

OPEIFA SCHOOLS HANDBALL: Archdeacon Adelaja emerges winner

ARCHDEACON Adelaja Senior High School, Bariga defeated Mainland Senior High School 13-12 in the final to emerge winner of the 2nd Opeifa Cup Lagos Secondary Schools Handball Championship held at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba last weekend.

Sunshine players get cash boost, vow to remain committed

THE players of Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure have expressed joy over their welfare packages which they have continued to receive from the club's management.

Speaking on behalf of the players after receiving cash rewards from the club President, Prince John Ola Mafo, for recording victory over Wikki Tourists, team captain, Abe Sunday said the monetary rewards will go a long way in boosting their morale ahead of the match against Abia Warriors this weekend in Umuahia.

Okiki wins maiden Rabiu Adeola U-12 Scrabble Championships

OKIKI Fowobaje of Ifako International School swept the board on Thursday as he emerged champion of the 1st edition of the Rabiu Adeola Under-12 Scrabble Championships held at the Lagos Country Club Ikeja GRA.

The keenly contested competition saw over 50 children from different schools in a battle of wits as the event brought out the best in all of the participants to the delight of World scrabble, Wellington Jighere, who was icon of the day.

NWPL: Sunshine, Confluence in ‘Battle of Queens’

WITH the 2015/16 Nigeria Women Premier League season set to kick-off this weekend across various centers in the country, Akure will be the place to be.

Reigning Federations Cup champions Sunshine Queens Football Club will welcome semi-finalists Confluence Queens FC to the Akure Township Stadium in a game rated the star match of the match day one of the new season.

NPFL: LMC expels Giwa FC, cancels all results, goals involving the club

.Players free to sign for other clubs this season

.Jos-based team to forfeit all monetary earnings with LMC

GIWA FC of Jos has been expelled from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) for multiple infractions of the Framework and Rules of the NPFL, particularly for violation of B13.28 which prescribes expulsion from the league for any club that fails to honour three matches cumulatively within a season with no acceptable reason to the League Management Company (LMC).

2016 NNPC/Shell Cup quarter finalists emerge

THE on-going All Nigeria Secondary Schools Football Championship tagged NNPC/Shell Cup has entered the quarter finals stage. 10 schools emerged from the zonal preliminaries recently concluded in 9 cities across the Country to battle for the semifinals ticket.

2ND OPEIFA HANDBALL CUP: Lagos City, Onike Girls, Zumrattul qualify for q/finals

THE Preliminary round of matches in the 2nd Opeifa Cup Lagos Schools Handball Championship was concluded Wednesday at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba with defending champions of the girls' category Onike Girls Grammar School among the qualifiers for the quarterfinals.

Maro Itoje named European Rugby Player of the Year

MARO Itoje has become the fourth successive England player to be named European player of the year but the Saracens lock claims that no aspect of his game is perfect.

The 21-year-old was awarded the honour ahead of Saracens team-mates Owen Farrell, George Kruis and Billy Vunipola, as well as Harlequins flanker Jack Clifford, Northampton wing George North, Toulon’s Steffon Armitage and Racing 92’s Dan Carter.

NPFL: Sunshine desperate to beat Wikki, says Adedipe

SUNSHINE Stars midfielder, Adedipe Kehinde has expressed confident that his team will secure the maximum points at home when they host Wikki Tourists in Wednesday’s Week 18 match of the Nigeria Professional Football League at the Akure Township Stadium.

OPEIFA HANDBALL CUP: Onike Girls Junior School on course to defend title

.Beat St. Luke 6-1

THE defending champions of the Lagos Secondary Schools Handball Championship, tagged ‘Opeifa Cup’, Onike Girls Junior School on Tuesday defeated St. Luke Junior School 6-1 to remain on course in their title defense.

Japanese instructor for 3rd Saleh Karate Championship

JAPANESE instructor, Sensei Tomiko Mitsuoka will be part of the 3rd edition of the Zainab Saleh International Female Open Karate Championship scheduled to hold from 1st to 5th June at the Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com reports.

CAF U-20 CUP OF NATIONS: Amuneke picks Nwakali, Osimhen, 16 others for Burundi

COACH Emmanuel Amuneke has cast his lot with his FIFA U-17 World Cup winners, with about 15 of them making the list of 18 players of the U-20 squad to this weekend’s 2017 CAF U-20 Cup of Nations qualifying match against Burundi in Bujumbura.

10 swimmers for CANA Zone 2 trials

10 swimmers have been picked to represent Nigeria at the forth coming CANA Zone 2 swimming competition among West African countries, slated for May 27 in Dakar, Senegal.

They were picked from a two-day time trials held at the swimming pool complex of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos over the weekend.

International taekwondo course ends in Lagos

OVER 120 Taekwondo instructors, referees and coaches attended the four-day international master’s instructors and two-day international Hammdang Referees course held at the main bowl of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

OPEIFA HANDBALL CUP: Ayetoro, Aje Comprehensive in bright starts

THE 2nd edition of Lagos State Secondary Schools Handball Championship tagged ‘Opeifa Cup’ commenced on Monday at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba with Ayetoro Snr. Grammar School beating Yinka Folawiyo Gram School 4-0 in the Boys’ category while Aje Comprehensive bagged a 12-1 win over Folex in the Girls’ event.

Siasia meets Mikel, Ighalo in London

DREAM Team VI handler, Samson Siasia on Sunday night met Super Eagles Captain, Mikel Obi and Watford forward Odion Ighalo at Novikov Restaurant & Bar in London over the prospect of the duo joining the Rio 2016 Olympics bound team.

Briedis stops Durodola in WBC eliminator

UNBEATEN #4 WBC cruiserweight contender Mairis Breidis (20-0, 17 KOs) proved to be too much for the powerful #2 WBC Olanrewaju Durodola (22-3, 20 KOs) in stopping him in the 9th round on Saturday night to capture his WBC Silver cruiserweight title at the at the Arena Riga in Riga, Latvia.

Women's football deserves more, says Akide-Udoh

NIGERIA legend Mercy Akide-Udoh says women's football worldwide, and especially on the African continent deserves greater attention and investment.

Akide-Udoh was one of the legends of the game, and the only former African woman player, invited by FIFA to attend the General Assembly in Mexico in order to help chart a new course for football, and the Nigeria super star said women have been given short shrift for too long.

RIO OLYMPICS: First winner emerges as NOC, Chisco plan to take 10 to Brazil

FIRST lucky winner has emerged in the raffle launched by the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) in conjunction with Chisco Transport Company to raise funds for its athletes ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The new promotion tagged "Experience Brazil" will afford ten Nigerians to enjoy all expense paid trip to Brazil for the Olympic Games.

WOMEN’S FA CUP: Oshoala relishes first trophy in Europe

SUPER Falcons' forward, Asisat Oshoala is in cloud nine after claiming her first laurel with Arsenal Ladies on Saturday as the Gunners defeated Chelsea Ladies 1-0 to lift their 14th Women FA Cup in 15th final appearance.

An elated Oshoala could not hide her feelings as she uploaded her picture with the trophy on her Instagram account immediately after the encounter, Sportsbiz247 reports.