Sports
Victory over Argentina: FG Congratulates Flying Eagles urges them to win the Cup
Joel Ajayi
The Federal Government has congratulated the Flying Eagles of Nigeria for their 2-0 victory over the host country, Argentina, in the ongoing U-20 World Cup Tournament.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, while congratulating the Team in his office in Abuja today over their excellent performance at the competition also called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to ensure the Team puts in extra effort with a view to bringing the cup home.
He explained that the performance of the Flying Eagles at the games further demonstrates that the policy initiatives put in place for the development of sports in Nigeria and football in particular by the former administration under the supervision of the former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr Sunday Dare is sure to uplift our sports industry even at global competitions.
Alhaji Abubakar expressed optimism that the Sports and Youth Development Ministry is one of the sectors that the President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration will be proud of and thus further build up on the structures on ground towards ensuring a formidable sports industry in the country.
He called on all well meaning Nigerians to pray for the Flying Eagles to conquer other contenders and return to Nigeria with the trophy.
Recall thatNigeria’s U-20 team, the Flying Eagles on Wednesday, defeated host nation, Argentina 2-0 to reach the quarter-final of the U-20 World Cup with Ibrahim Muhammad scoring the first goal of the match on the 71st minute while Haliru Sarki scored with a diving header in added time to take the match out of the reach of the six-time champions.
The host nation rallied to equalise the goal but failed to utilize their chances, thus, the win against Argentina put Nigeria on the chart as serious contenders for the trophy
Nigeria has only won two silver medals in the tournament with the latest being 2005 when they lost 2-1 to the Messi led Argentina in the final
Sports
SWAN President Calls for Gender-Fair Reporting in Sports Journalism
By Joel Ajayi
The President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Isaiah Kemje Benjamin, has urged sports journalists to eliminate gender stereotypes and bias in their reports to promote fairness, inclusion and greater visibility for women in sports.
Benjamin made the call on Monday in Abuja while delivering a presentation titled “Gender-Sensitive Journalism: Removing Gender Stereotypes and Bias in Sports Reporting” at the Annual Women in Sports Leadership Training/Seminar for Journalists, organised by the Women Commission of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).
He said sports journalists play a critical role in shaping public opinion, influencing athletes’ visibility and determining which achievements receive recognition, sponsorship and investment.
According to him, the way the media reports women in sports can either reinforce existing barriers or help dismantle them.
Benjamin explained that gender-sensitive journalism requires fairness, accuracy, equality and inclusion, stressing that it does not mean giving female athletes favourable coverage or shielding them from legitimate criticism.
He identified common forms of bias in sports reporting, including giving men’s competitions greater prominence, focusing on female athletes’ appearance rather than performance, defining women by their marital or family status, and questioning their competence in leadership positions.
The SWAN president urged journalists to adopt respectful language, apply consistent professional standards and extend coverage beyond national teams to domestic leagues, grassroots competitions, female coaches, referees and sports administrators.
Using Nigeria’s sporting landscape as an example, he said the achievements of the Super Falcons deserved sustained analysis beyond match results, including discussions on investment, player development, professional leagues and grassroots structures.
He also noted that digital platforms offered opportunities to expand coverage of women’s sports but warned journalists against sensationalism, online harassment and sexist commentary.
Benjamin proposed seven measures, including gender-sensitive editorial guidelines, regular coverage audits, diversified sources, professional development, stronger grassroots reporting and measurable progress.
He called on SWAN to collaborate with the NOC, sports federations, leagues and clubs to improve access to information and strengthen women’s visibility in sports.
He urged journalists to ensure that athletes are judged by their performances and achievements rather than gender stereotypes.
“Gender-sensitive journalism must be fair, not favourable,” he said, emphasising that responsibility for change rests with reporters, editors, broadcasters, photographers and digital publishers.
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