SPORTS

Olympics 2024, Rowing: The German eight takes its last chance

Published

5 months ago

August 1, 2024

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After a poor performance in the preliminary round, the German eight has qualified for the final at the Olympic Games. The rowers came second behind the Netherlands in the repechage and made it to the final. This will take place on Saturday at 11.10 a.m.

Oliver Zeidler had previously won the singles semi-final with ease and is heading into the final race as a big hope for gold. This is scheduled for Saturday at 9.42 a.m.

The German eight (centre) at the finish

Source: REUTERS

10:33 a.m.: Austria’s medal winner gets a toilet voucher

Austria has won its first medal in Paris. Judoka Michaela Polleres, who lost in the semifinals to Germany’s Miriam Butkereit, secured bronze. “This means so much to me and makes me incredibly proud,” she cheered.

Judoka Michaela Polleres won the first Austrian medal in Paris

Source: dpa/Georg Hochmuth

In addition to the medal, the 27-year-old received another, rather strange reward: a voucher for a toilet. Pollers was given this after the award ceremony. It is a so-called “Aquaclean shower toilet”, which all Austrian medal winners receive as a bonus from a sponsor. The manufacturer promises its customers “a unique experience” and “impressive flushing performance”.

10:15 a.m.: 3×3 basketball players win

The German 3×3 basketball players have successfully completed their unusual early shift and pulled off the second surprise at the Olympic Games in Paris. The team, which started the tournament with a coup against the USA, won 19:17 against the previously unbeaten Canadians on the Place de la Concorde.

9:28 a.m.: German walkers go home empty-handed

The German walkers had no chance of winning a medal. Veteran Christopher Linke from Potsdam finished 19th in the 20-kilometer race, while Berlin’s Leo Köpp came 23rd. The first athletics gold of these games went to Brian Daniel Pintado from Ecuador.

The World Championship runner-up over 35 kilometers won the circuit at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in 1:18:55 hours. Silver went to World Championship third-place finisher Caio Bonfim from Brazil (1:19:09), bronze to World Champion Álvaro Martín from Spain (1:19:11). Fourth place went to Massimo Stano from Italy (1:19:12), who won Olympic gold three years ago.

8:33 a.m.: Kerber bids emotional farewell

Angelique Kerber experienced great emotions once again. With plenty of applause and minutes of “Angie, Angie” chants, the three-time Grand Slam winner was bid farewell to her tennis retirement in the German house in Paris. “When I see that, I don’t want to go,” said the 36-year-old with a smile.

Kerber’s career ends in the quarterfinals – silver for judoka and in slalom canoe

After a tough fight, Angelique Kerber ended her tennis career without a medal. Meanwhile, judoka Miriam Butkereit won the silver medal and celebrated the greatest success of her career. WELT Olympic reporter Alina Quast reports from Paris.

The professional career of the three-time Grand Slam winner ended in the quarterfinals on Wednesday with a 7:6 (7:4), 4:6, 6:7 (6:8) defeat to the Chinese Zheng Qinwen. The hours that followed were “very emotional,” reported Kerber. And it continued the same in the German house. Tennis colleagues and other sports stars lined the way when the Kiel native came on stage. When a video with highlights of her career was shown, Kerber was visibly moved. Champagne was then sprayed.

7:24 a.m.: Basketball players without Sabally

The German basketball team will have to do without Nyara Sabally in the second preliminary round match against Japan. The 24-year-old from the WNBA club New York Liberty will miss the Belgium match after suffering a slight concussion, as the German Basketball Association announced a few hours before the start of the match (11:00 a.m.).

The younger of the two Sabally sisters sustained the injury in the surprising 83:69 defeat against European champions Belgium in Lille. She then had to undergo a procedure prescribed for head injuries. However, the time until the Japan game was ultimately too short. With another win against Japan, the German team would have secured qualification for the quarter-finals. Nyara Sabally scored 16 points in just under 25 minutes against Belgium and thus played a major role in the success.

6:55 a.m.: Gauntlet for controversial beach volleyball player intensifies

Beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde is a convicted rapist. Ten years later, after lengthy debates, the Dutchman is competing in the Olympics. The second game of the tournament also shows that the audience shows no mercy. Quite the opposite.

Read the whole story here: READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

23:13: Within two hours, France’s superstar wins double gold

France’s swimming star Léon Marchand achieved an Olympic first in Paris and provided more goosebumps. The 22-year-old was the first athlete to win Olympic gold in breaststroke and butterfly swimming – and he did it within just two hours. Marchand first beat world record holder Kristof Milak with a furious final sprint in the 200-meter butterfly, relegating the Hungarian to second place. He then triumphed in the 200-meter breaststroke in front of completely enthusiastic fans.

As Marchand stepped onto the starting block, chants of “Léon, Léon” echoed through the La Défense Arena. In the final meters of his race, the noise of the euphoric fans became deafening. After his second triumph, Marchand punched the water with his fist as huge cheers erupted around him.

Leon Marchand

Quelle: Getty Images/Quinn Rooney

Marchand has already won three gold medals at his home Summer Games. He also won the 400-meter individual medley. The swimming star is also one of the favorites in the 200-meter individual medley.

21:40: Freestyle swimmer Gose wins bronze

Swimmer Isabel Gose won the bronze medal in the 1500 meter freestyle. The 22-year-old only had to admit defeat to exceptional swimmer and gold winner Katie Ledecky from the USA and second-placed Frenchwoman Anastasia Kirpitschnikova in a German record time of 15:41.16 minutes. For Ledecky, this is already the eighth gold medal at the Summer Games.

This is how Gose swam to bronze – read the full article here

21:05: National football team in the quarter-finals

Germany’s women’s soccer team has avoided the big scare and is now in the Olympic quarter-finals. In the confident 4:1 (1:0) victory against Zambia, the team coached by national team coach Horst Hrubesch delivered a concentrated performance at the end of the preliminary round and is taking a lot of momentum into the knockout phase.

The German women’s football team celebrates reaching the quarter-finals

Source: AP/Silvia Izquierdo

Lea Schüller with a brace (10th and 61st minute), Klara Bühl (48th) and Elisa Senß (90th+7) scored the goals for the second tournament victory, which could have been even greater. Schüller, Bühl and Janina Minge also each hit the post once. A mistake by goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger led to the goal by Barbra Banda (50th).

Germany advances to the quarter-finals in front of empty stands – read the full article here

Women’s national team in the quarter-finals

19:15: Zverev remains on course for a medal

Alexander Zverev is the only one still holding out hope for a German tennis medal at the Summer Games in France. After problems at the beginning, the 27-year-old defeated the Australian Alexei Popyrin 7:5, 6:3 and moved into the quarter-finals. The Italian Lorenzo Musetti, his next opponent on Thursday, is also a doable task. As at the Olympic Games three years ago in Tokyo, the Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic could be waiting in the semi-finals.

After his triumph in Tokyo, Alexander Zverev is well on his way to being able to target gold again at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris

What: AFP/PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA

Zverev’s start was not successful under the closed roof of the second largest court at the Stade Roland Garros. The German number one lost his serve to make it 1:2 and then spent a long time chasing this deficit in vain. At 4:5 in the first set and the 24-year-old Australian’s serve, Zverev got into trouble, but was able to fend off a set point. By winning four games in a row, the co-favorite secured the first set.

With the set lead, Zverev controlled the rallies differently than in the first set, quickly took a 3-0 lead and dominated the match. World number 63 Popyrin was unable to reach the level he had shown at the beginning. After 1:30 hours, the French Open finalist made his progress perfect.

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SPORTS

The Truth About the India Vs Nigeria 99-1 Match

Published

18 hours ago

December 21, 2024

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In one way or the other, almost every Nigerian has heard of the mythical match between India Vs. Nigeria that ended with 99 goals to 1 with India being victorious.

Before the advent of the internet, this story successfully thrived among Nigerians, but with the emergence of the internet and easy access to social media, the truth behind the India Vs Nigeria 99-1 match was revealed.

Though there are different accounts of the match, but they all have the following in common:

That the match ended with India scoring 99 goals and Nigeria scoring just one goal.
That Nigerians were unable to kick the ball because the football kept turning to a lion which scared them away…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>
2. That Indians later agreed that if Nigeria could score one goal, they would concede defeat.
3. That Samuel Okwaraji scored the winning goal and lost his life in the process because the ball turned into stone as he was about to kick it.
4. That FIFA banned India from soccer because they used juju (black magic) in that match.
Why did people believe the India Vs Nigeria 99-1 match story?

Even with the absence of the internet back then, this kind of claims should be immediately recognized as lies, the kind of lies they call “big fat lies”. But most people like to acknowledge this story as true with the fact that no one has ever seen India play in an International Football Match. Since no one actually saw India participate in most international soccer games, this gave a little credence to the story.

Another reason this lie thrived for long was that credible information was not easily accessible in Nigeria unlike now that even a 4-year-old child can debunk false claims within minutes with the help of Google. This Nigeria Vs India match story would have been fabricated by one community elder to children during an evening gathering; that’s our take at OldNaija.

What Actually Happened!

On the 12th of August 1989, Nigeria lost one of her best footballers, Sam Okwaraji who died during a football match. We wrote about how he died on the pitch and you can read it here. Sam Okwaraji was the player rumoured to have lost his life in that game when in truth he died during a FIFA World Cup qualifying game against Angola in the 77th minute. He collapsed and died of cognitive heart failure. May his soul rest in peace. AMEN!

Samuel Okwaraji (circled)

So, that is the only truthful thing about the India Vs Nigeria 99-1 match story, the fact that a Nigerian player died during a football match. That is what these lies was fabricated around. The match was not against India, Nigeria did not lose the match and as you must have guessed, and there were no lions or ball turning into a stone.

Meme by Campus Bro

Nevertheless, one cannot deny that this kind of story made one’s childhood as a Nigerian. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Before we go,

Why was India Banned by FIFA?

India was never banned by FIFA. It was India that withdrew from the tournament themselves. Here is how it happened.

Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) made it clear to India that they would not be allowed to play in the 1950 FIFA World Cup without footwear.

Then something happened. You see, when determining the make-up of the 1950 World Cup, FIFA determined that obviously the two defending finalists, Brazil and Italy, would be guaranteed slots. That left fourteen slots that needed to be filled.

FIFA decided that seven of those slots would come from Europe, six would come from the Americas and one would come from Asia.

The problem was that of the four Asian teams that were invited to the World Cup, three of them (the Philippines, Indonesia and Burma) withdrew from the tournament before the qualification round.

Therefore, India earned an automatic slot within the World Cup. It would be India’s first time appearing in the World Cup but India, too, withdrew from the tournament because FIFA would not allow them to compete barefoot.

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SPORTS

SAD|| 10 Players Who Lost Everything After Divorce, Number 5 Will Shôck You

Published

2 months ago

November 5, 2024

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The Hidden Financial Struggles of Footballers: Divorce’s Costly Toll

The glamorous image of professional footballers, with their luxurious lifestyles and multimillion-dollar contracts, often obscures a harsh reality: the financial devastation many endure through divorce. Behind the fame and fortune, several high-profile players have seen their wealth significantly depleted after parting ways with their spouses, a stark reminder that no amount of money can fully shield one of the financial pitfalls of personal relationships gone awry…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

One of the most shocking examples is that of former Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboué, who lost not only his properties in England but also custody of his children following a bitter divorce. Despite earning millions during his career, Eboué found himself stripped of almost everything. His situation became a cautionary tale, underscoring that even the wealthiest footballers can fall victim to the financial ruin that divorce can bring.

Eboué is not alone. Football legends such as Thierry Henry and Ryan Giggs have also experienced significant financial losses due to divorce. Henry reportedly paid £10 million to his ex-wife, while Giggs parted with an astonishing £40 million after his marriage ended. Louis Saha and Wes Brown, both former Manchester United players, also suffered substantial financial hits, with Brown declaring bankruptcy despite earning £50,000 per week during his time at the club. His case highlights how even vast earnings can quickly evaporate when faced with legal settlements and financial mismanagement.

David James, the former England goalkeeper, faced a particularly dire situation, losing much of his fortune after divorce and being forced to auction his personal belongings to make ends meet. Similarly, Ray Parlour, another Arsenal great, saw his ex-wife receive half of his £10 million fortune, including a £2.5 million house. Jamie Redknapp, a former Liverpool star, also faced a hefty settlement, parting with half of his estimated £15 million fortune after his marriage ended.

These are just a few of the many footballers who have faced financial disaster due to divorce. Keith Gillespie, once a key figure in the Premier League, lost over £7 million, leading to his bankruptcy in 2010. Despite earning significant wages during his career, his divorce and poor financial decisions left him in financial ruin. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Perhaps the most shocking case is that of Tendai Ndoro, a Zimbabwean striker who lost everything after registering all his properties in his wife’s name. Following their breakup, she kicked him out of the house, leaving him with nothing. Ndoro’s story serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of not protecting one’s assets, even in relationships where trust is implicit.

For footballers, whose careers often peak early, these financial setbacks can be devastating. While their salaries are among the highest in professional sports, the combination of short career spans, legal fees, and divorce settlements can quickly erode their fortunes. Many players also face additional challenges in managing their finances due to a lack of financial education or oversight during their playing years.

These stories underscore the importance of safeguarding personal wealth, especially for high-earning individuals like footballers, who may be more vulnerable to financial upheaval. Proper financial planning, asset protection strategies, and prenups are increasingly necessary tools for protecting one’s earnings and securing a stable future.

In conclusion, while the public sees footballers as insulated by their wealth, the reality is that they are just as susceptible to the financial hardships of divorce as anyone else. The personal struggles behind the scenes reveal that their lives, though glamorous on the surface, are often fraught with the same vulnerabilities and challenges faced by ordinary individuals. These cases serve as sobering reminders that financial security is never guaranteed, even for those at the pinnacle of success.

READ FULL STORY HERE>>...CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

SPORTS

NFL | The best was yet to come, and then no

Published

2 months ago

October 12, 2024

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In February 2022, the Bengals missed the Super Bowl by three small points, but regardless, the future seemed bright in Cincinnati.

Posted at 1:13 a.m.

Updated at 7:00 a.m.

In any case, that’s what we, the most seasoned experts in American football, believed, capable of seeing the future each season, often in a very impressive way; for example, this column has been predicting since 1970 that the New York Jets are not going to win the Super Bowl, and that’s still exactly what happens.

The Bengals have never won anything, but their presence on the big stage two years ago suggested that, a bit like the Nordiques in 1990, the best was yet to come.

Well, no.

As of this hour, the Bengals are a dismal 1-4, and even then, their only win came against the Carolina Panthers, who are about as bad as they are.

The good news for the Bengals is that this “landing” is fairly easily explained: their defense is pretty awful. The less good news is that it is probably already too late to try to solve this problem.

In five games, the Bengals have allowed a total of 145 points, which gives a pretty staggering average of 29 points per game. No one else in the American Association looks this bad, and in the league as a whole, only the Carolina Panthers are even worse in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Bengals are wasting the best years of Joe Burrow, who turns 28 in December. He wouldn’t be the first quality quarterback to waste his talent in this uniform.

Is it necessary here to remember that in American football, as in life in general, there is never anything certain? This reality reminds us of this sublime quote from Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who once wrote that “supreme happiness is a hundred times sweeter to hope for than to obtain”.

Rousseau must have been a Bengals fan, obviously.

You are probably aware that the New York Jets fired their coachbut that’s not the worst. The worst part is that poor Robert Saleh would have been escorted to the door like a pauper by security agents.

PHOTO MIKE STOBE, ARCHIVES AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh

It’s undoubtedly one of the worst moments in the history of a club that collects the worst moments, from Mark Sanchez dropping a ball on his lineman’s pussy, to a visibly hot Joe Namath trying to to kiss a reporter live on TV (we’re going to move on to the naughty photo of Brett Favre because there are children here).

We can never repeat it enough: in football, as in life, everything starts from the top. The leaders of the Jets, who display a level of competence similar to that of the inventors of Pepsi Crystal, thus opted for the easy way, instead of realizing that their ground game is non-existent, and that their quarterback who hears voices in his head is finished.

In addition, barely installed, new coach Jeff Ulbrich decided to give control of the attack to assistant Todd Downing, who will call the plays from now on. This is not a detail because this task previously fell to offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, close and confidant of Aaron Rodgers.

It’s obvious that this is going to end very badly. As per usual.

Someone whispers in my ear that the inbox is overflowing again, so let’s get to it right away.

First, Luc Girouard from Sept-Îles sends us this timely little comment: “Would Prince Rodgers have plotted to kick Robert Saleh out in order to take his place? »

We all see what you did, Luc.

Then, there is a certain Nicolas B. from Laval who sent this: “Hi Richard. Great weekly column on football. Really entertaining. In addition, you allow my teenagers to read about football in French, which is still a challenge […] If you ever make a reference to my comment, my sports travel gang is buying me a beer on our next trip. »

You will demand a micro beer, Nicolas. Finally, there is Marco Campanozzi who can no longer hear about “mixing” and the right chair: “I can’t do it anymore!!! »

We are Marco.

It will be another great opportunity to lock yourself in front of the TV while pretending to do something constructive, because Sunday’s menu is particularly spicy.

Thus, Commanders in a state of grace will go to Baltimore to prove that they are serious, the Chargers will go to Denver in the hope of recovering after two defeats in a row, and the Cowboys will host the Lions, in a match that they can’t really let slip away, just to build something following the little miracle last Sunday night in Pittsburgh.

Don’t forget to check out the colors during halftime.

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