One of the biggest corruption scandals in football history will conclude on Saturday when Mohamed bin Hammam learns his fate following a two-day FIFA ethics committee hearing here

Former Golden Eaglets and Falcons Coach Godwin Izilein, has said the inclusion of West Brom striker, Osaze Odemwingie in the international friendly against Ghana’s Black Stars on August 9 in London, will boost the Super Eagles morale.

ORDINARILY, one would have expected Bayelsa State’s swimmers and wrestlers to clear all available gold medals at the recently concluded 17th National Sports Festival (NSF) held in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, but alas, the reverse was the case.

Former Super Eagles player Thompson Oliha is happy with the combination of coaches chosen by the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF to coach the Under-17 team but said among the trio of Garba Manu, Emmanuel Amuneke and Nduka Ugbade chosen by the NFF, Ugbade should be made the head coach of the team following his wealth of experience in the game.

Efe Sodje may be focused on Bury’s League One campaign, but it doesn’t mean he has forgotten his roots in Nigeria. The 38-year-old and his brothers have been helping people in their native country for the last 10 years.

Rangers Football Club of Enugu are currently enjoying a breath of fresh air, after months of financial debts, particularly on players sign-on-fee for the last and present season. The technical crew are however, still being owed but spokesman of the club Foster Chime said they will soon be paid.

The recently concluded 17th National Sports Festival, Garden City Games 2011 may have come and gone but the gains and impression it created will remain evergreen in the consciousness of many. States that participated in the games have been counting their gains and losses.

As Super Eagles get set for the International friendly against Ghana’s Black Stars next month, former Super Eagles midfielder Friday Ekpo has advised Samson Siasia to select players on merit and adopt a better pattern suitable for the game.

Former Super Ea gles player, Baldwin Bazuaye has called on the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF to continue to support the Under-23 team despite crashing out of the All Africa Games (AAG) so that they could clinch the London 2012 Olympic ticket .

Newly confirmed technical adviser of Bukola Babes, Salaiman Dogo has heaped praise on the management of the team for their support and motivation during their trying times. Speaking to Inside Out Premier League, Dogo thanked God for his confirmation as technical adviser, stressing that it is as a result of the trust the management has in him.

If the Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited continues with its monthly ‘Wellness Walk’, there is hope of discovering new long distance athletes in the monthly race as a 16- year-old girl, Miss Aminat Olowoira, emerged the winner of the July edition of ‘Wellness Walk’.

Former vice President of the Nigerian Referees Association, NRA, and now vice chairman of Anambra Football Association, Jude Benjamin Obikwelu a.k.a JBC has called on Nigerians not to write-off Nigerian referees, despite the poor handling of the Nigerian league.

Spain based Nigerian U-23 striker, Otubanjo Olaitan has said that he wants the Nigerian Premier League to be like that of Europe.

The Federal Polytechnic Ede, Osun State has earmarked more than N250 million for the upgrading of physical facilities at the North and South campuses of the Institution for successful hosting of the 17th edition of the Nigeria Polytechnic Games.

Local athletes preparing for the forthcoming 10th All Africa Games scheduled to take place in Mozambique next September will now do all their training in Nigeria.