Sports

Napoli social media executive resigns after Osimhen saga

Published

1 year ago

October 2, 2023

The recent saga involving Nigerian and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen has swept away the Italian club’s social media executive, Alessio Fortino, who resigned from his position.

Fortino’s resignation comes days after a controversial video shared on the club’s official TikTok platform where the player was mocked for missing a penalty in a Serie A match against Bologna went viral.

A first video posted on the account showed the 24-year-old Osimhen appealing for a penalty, with an audio captioned “Gimme penalty please,” before showing him blazing the spot-kick wide of the post, while a second video compared Osimhen to a “coconut head”, which many widely viewed as having a racial slur.

The denigrating videos caused outrage, with Osimhen’s fans urging him to leave the club, citing disrespect and possible racism. Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, waded into the matter and promised to intervene to protect the player and other Nigerian athletes in any part of the world.

Following the backlash from the saga, Fortino threw in the towel, and confirmed the news via a post on his personal Instagram account on Monday after offering an apology that the TikTok videos were “never intended to offend or make fun of Osimhen.”

“Today, after 805 days, my professional adventure with SSC Naples ends. For many, this job would be comparable to a dream,” the post reads.

“For me, it was a simple daily reality: a reality built on commitment and fueled by the constant desire to learn and play.

“I cannot help but express my deepest gratitude to all the colleagues, collaborators, partners and supporters I’ve met along this long journey for making this experience so special.

“Leaving the company with a baggage of great memories and an excitement for the new adventures that lie ahead,” Fortino said.

Though the Serie A champions have not made an official comment on Fortino’s resignation, Italian sports media believes the circumstances surrounding his stepping down are not far from the Osimhen saga.

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Sports

Coach of Mamelodi Sundowns female team suspended over sexual harassment allegations

Published

21 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns women’s team, Jerry Tshabalala, has been suspended indefinitely amid allegations of sexual harassment of players.

A statement by the management of the top South African team said the 44-year-old Tshabalala, who has been in charge of Sundowns’s women’s team for over a decade, has been accused of a number of allegations, including making inappropriate sexual comments to his players, as well as entering the dressing room and refusing to leave while players are completely naked.

In a statement released on Saturday, Sundowns said they had appointed a law firm to investigate the allegations against the coach with specific instructions to unravel allegations of improper conduct by the Tshabalala.

The club said it views the allegations in a very serious light and has relieved the coach of his appointment pending when the investigations are concluded.

“Sundowns has, in the interim, put Coach Jerry Tshabalala on special leave pending the outcome of the investigation,” the club statement said.

“This is not done to pre-empt the outcome of the investigation, but to ensure that the investigation can proceed expeditiously and protect the rights of all parties.

“In the event that the investigation establishes facts that warrant action, the Board will immediately take such steps as are appropriate.

“Mamelodi Sundowns will in due course make announcements on the findings of the investigation and the action to be taken,” the statement concluded.

The Sundowns female team have been a dominant force in women’s football in South Africa and on the continent since Tshabalala took over in 2012, winning seven domestic league titles, as well as two CAF Women’s Champions League crowns.

Sports

FIFA Ranking: Nigeria ends 2024 as fifth best team in Africa

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s men’s football national team, the Super Eagles, ended the year 2024 as the fifth best team in Africa in the latest FIFA world ranking for the month of December.

According to the rankings published by the world football governing body, Nigeria remains unchanged from its previous position, despite having a challenging international break.

The FIFA rankings also reveal that Nigeria suffered a significant decline this year, dropping eight places to end 2024 ranked 44th globally.

The decline follows disappointing performances during the final AFCON qualifiers for 2025, where the Super Eagles struggled against the Benin Republic and Rwanda, resulting in a lack of wins.

However, some of the Super Eagles bitter rivals like South Africa’s Bafana Bafana experienced a resurgence, climbing three positions to finish the year ranked 57th in the world, showing a marked improvement in their recent form and successful matches during the qualifiers.

It was a woeful year for West African rivals Ghana who ended the year in 77th position, which highlights the challenges the Black Stars have encountered in the outgoing year in its bid to maintain its positions among Africa’s elite teams.

Meanwhile, the Moroccan national football team, the Atlas Lion, retained its 14th position in the in the world while still maintaining its number one spot in Africa, holding the first position for the third year in a row.

In the world ranking, Morocco is followed by Senegal on 17th position, Egypt, 33rd, Algeria 37th, Nigeria, 44th, Côte d’Ivoire, 46th, Cameroon, 49th, Mali, 51st, and Tunisia in the 52nd position.

Top 10 African teams in 2024

1. Morocco – (14th)

2. Senegal – (17th)

3. Egypt – (33rd)

4. Algeria – (37th)

5. Nigeria – (44th)

6. Côte d’Ivoire – (46th)

7. Cameroon – (49th)

8. Mali – (51st )

9. Tunisia – (52nd)

10. South Africa – (57th)