Sports
Breaking News: Finally, UEFA moves UCL final to Portugal
Joel Ajayi
The Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester City on 29 May will take place in Portugal with 6,000 fans from each club able to attend.
The game has been moved from Turkey to the Portuguese city of Porto because of coronavirus restrictions.
Portugal is on England’s green list so players and fans can attend without having to quarantine on their return home. Turkey is on the red list.
The final had been due to be staged at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic stadium
To deprive supporters of the chance to see the match in person was not an option and I am delighted that this compromise has been found,” said Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin.
Uefa, UK government officials and the Football Association met to talk about Wembley hosting the game but no agreement could be reached on quarantine exemptions for sponsors, VIPs and broadcasters.
“Fans have had to suffer more than 12 months without the ability to see their teams live and reaching a Champions League final is the pinnacle of club football,” added Ceferin.
“After the year that fans have endured, it is not right that they don’t have the chance to watch their teams in the biggest game of the season”
Both Chelsea and Manchester City say they are in discussions with Uefa and other stakeholders over ticketing and travel arrangements.
It is the second successive year the final has been held in Portugal with Lisbon the location for the delayed final stages of last season’s competition, won by Bayern Munich.
The final capacity limit at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto is still to be fixed.
Ceferin acknowledged that the UK government’s decision to place Turkey on the red list for travel was made in good faith but said it also left the governing body with “a major challenge”.
“The difficulties of moving the final are great and the FA and the authorities made every effort to try to stage the match in England, and I would like to thank them for their work in trying to make it happen,” he added.
“The Turkish Football Federation and the authorities have always been reliable partners of Uefa and I hope to be in Istanbul and Turkey for a Champions League final and many other events in the near future.
“I hope the final will be a symbol of hope at the re-emergence of Europe from a difficult period and that the fans who travel to the game will once again be able to lend their voices to showcase this final as the best in club football.”
Sports
Ministry of Sports unveils partnership with Yanga Games
Joel Ajayi
Towards creating a new dawn for Nigerian Sports, the Federal Ministry of Sports has signed a landmark agreement with top lottery company Yanga Games to raise the revenue profile of the Ministry and ensure a new deal for the welfare of athletes.
Speaking during the unveiling of the partnership between the Ministry and Yanga Games in Lagos on Friday, Chairman/CEO of Yanga Games Mr Derrick David Kentebe said “We are so super excited by this opportunity to work with the Ministry of Sports Development to change the narrative about Sports in the country. We see an opportunity for marketing our athletes and sports generally. We shall avail ourselves of the best use of this unique and special partnership. We shall pursue this mandate with vigor, passion, and unrivaled commitment to bring benefits to all the critical stakeholders.
The agreement according to Kentebe will provide support for retired athletes, enhance grassroots sports Development, and advance the potential of special athletes.a
He assured that ” Yanga Games can raise funds on behalf of the Ministry of Sports for athletes’ Development, endorsement, and sponsorship deals for athletes”.
Minister of Sports Senator John Owan Enoh assured that the Ministry has total and absolute confidence in YangaGames to deliver on the given mandate.
“Gone are the era when we depended solely on the government to fund sports development. We are partnering with YangaGames to bring maximum benefits to the athletes and all critical stakeholders. We shall give institutional encouragement and support to the Management of Yanga Games to succeed in this onerous task of rebuilding our sports sub-sector.”
Kentebe said ” We shall raise about 34 Billion in the next four years to assist athletes and improve sports in the country. We shall help to develop grassroots sports and sustain youth involvement through raffle draws, fund raisers, and other avenues.
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