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#Rio2016: Fiji declares National Holiday after winning First ever Olympic Medal

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8 years ago

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Fijians erupted in celebration Friday, setting off flares and dancing in the streets while a national holiday was declared after the tiny nation won its first ever Olympic medal — and gold at that.

The South Pacific island country came to a standstill at the start of the rugby sevens final against Great Britain, and by half-time the fireworks had started and there was a monumental chorus of car horns as it became evident Fiji would win and create history.

“This is the biggest day in Fiji’s history. Everyone is celebrating,” said photographer Feroz Khalil who watched the final on the big screen at the main stadium in Suva.

“It was crazy. There were people chanting, crying, tears were flowing. I’m feeling so happy.”

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, who was in Rio de Janeiro to watch the final, announced there would be a public holiday on August 22, the day after the team arrive home.

In a message to the nation Bainimarama said “every Fijian is rejoicing” around the world.

“Never before has the Fijian spirit soared so high as it does today. Never have we stood so tall as a nation.”

Fiji Rugby Union chief executive John O’Connor told AFP nearly all of Fiji’s 900,000 residents would have gathered around television sets in the 110 populated islands to watch the historic event.

“Everyone is very excited. Wherever there was a TV in a village there were people gathered round. There were about 2,000 people packed in the main stadium watching the game on the big screen.

“Some people may go to work now but I don’t think they will be very productive.”

Many who did go to work finished early to join the festivities as the blue Fijian flag flew proudly from homes, businesses and vehicles.

– Historic moment –

Fiji scored first after just 55 seconds, led 29-0 at half-time and finished up thrashing Great Britain by an emphatic 43-7.

“By the time it was half-time people were already celebrating. It was amazing,” Khalil said.

Traffic was gridlocked in the capital Suva where the streets were filled with people singing and dancing.

In the rugby-obsessed island nation, the gold medal victory was also seen as a chance to put behind them the memories of four coups over the past 30 years of political upheaval.

“The win was truly a historic moment for Fiji,” said Shailendra Singh, a former sports journalist and now head of journalism at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji.

“The sevens game is more than a game in Fiji and it is a major unifying force.

“The entire nation, young, old, men, women, children and adults and people from across the political divide will come together in celebration.”

University vice chancellor Rajesh Chandra said the victory also showed that a small Pacific island nation “can overcome our limitations of size, low income, and many other vulnerabilities and handicaps and take on the big boys internationally”.

It is only the second Olympic medal won by a South Pacific island nation, following the silver claimed by Tongan boxer Paea Wolfgramm who lost the super heavyweight final to Wladimir Klitschko at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Wolfgramm, now a sports ambassador for Tonga, said it was a “bittersweet moment” that it took 20 years for a second Pacific medal, but said he had backed Fiji to win.

Fiji coach Ben Ryan expected the partying to continue for a long time in a country where the players are national superstars.

“The boys are front page, back page news, 6 o’clock news, you come out of the airport there’s a 20-foot billboard of them and that continues all the way through (the country).

“It’s a passion, it’s a national sport.”

Meanwhile, amid the partying on the streets of Suva, diehard rugby fan Dan Nabuli grinned broadly as he proclaimed the victory would be cherished for a long time.

“This victory will be best remembered by everyone, our children in particular, as a small Pacific island nation has won the gold.”

[AFP]

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Juventus ordered to pay Ronaldo €9.7m unpaid salaries

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5 days ago

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April 18, 2024 10:01 am

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Juventus must pay Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo 9.7 million euros ($10.4 million) in back wages for the 2020-21 season, the Italian courts announced on Wednesday.

The Court of Arbitration, to which Ronaldo appealed, “orders Juventus Turin to pay the sum of 9,774,166.66 euros”, plus interest and procedural costs, it stated in its decision.

The sum equates to the difference between the salary actually received by Ronaldo and that which he should have received after tax and other deductions.

Ronaldo, who spent three seasons in Italy with Juventus (2018-21) before joining Manchester United (2021-22) and then the Saudi club Al Nassr, was claiming 19.5 million euros but the arbitration panel reduced that by 50 per cent.

Contacted by AFP, Juventus declined to comment, but said it would be issuing a statement “shortly”.

According to the rankings drawn up by the American business magazine Forbes, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was the world’s highest-paid sportsman in 2023, with $136 million, including $46 million in wages.

Juventus, who are listed on the stock exchange, recorded losses of 123.7 million euros in the 2022-23 financial year, which ran to the end of June, it announced in October.

No provision has been made in the accounts of Italian football’s most successful club, currently third in Serie A, for the payment of this wages backlog.

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EPL to adopt semi-automated offside technology next season

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1 week ago

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April 13, 2024 12:19 pm

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The English Premier League (EPL) says semi-automated offside technology will be used in matches from next season.

The league announced the decision in a statement on its website on Thursday.

The decision was made after a unanimous agreement by all the clubs at a Premier League Shareholders’ meeting.

The technology will be ready for use from the 2024/25 season after the autumn international breaks.

“The new system will be used for the first time in the Premier League next season, and it is anticipated the technology will be ready to be introduced after one of the autumn international breaks,” the statement reads.

“The technology will provide quicker and consistent placement of the virtual offside line, based on optical player tracking, and will produce high-quality broadcast graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for supporters.”

The first usage of the semi-automated offside technology in top-level football was at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The offside rule has been subjected to change in recent years, with the video assistant referee (VAR) technology also deployed to assist the on-field officials in checking for offside calls leading to a goal.

The EPL further updated its offside rule in the summer of 2023 to include that “a player who is clearly offside should not become onside on every occasion when an opponent moves and touches the ball.”

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Nigerian chess master, Tunde Onakoya sets to break Guinness World Record

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1 week ago

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April 13, 2024 12:17 pm

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Nigerian chess master, Tunde Onakoya has revealed plans to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.

Onakoya who made the plan known on his X account on Friday said that he is “doing this for the dreams of millions of children across Africa without access to education.”

He added that the attempt will hold on April 17th at the New York City’s Times Square and he is to play chess for 58 hours without a single defeat.

He wrote, “On the 17th of April 2024, I will attempt to break the Guiness World record for the longest Chess marathon in the heart of Times Square New York City for 58 hours without losing a game. Doing this for the dreams of millions of children across Africa without access to education.”

Onakoya disclosed that the attempt will start at 10am and would be available for all to stream on YouTube.

He appealed to Nigerians residing in New York, urging them to come forward and provide their enthusiastic support as he strives to establish a new world record.

Tunde Onakoya is renowned for his philanthropic efforts, notably utilizing chess as a tool to offer opportunities for young people residing in the marginalized areas, often referred to as ‘slums,’ within the country.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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