When the Seattle Seahawks take the field against the New England Patriots on Sunday, it will be their fourth Super Bowl appearance.
The franchise’s first appearance came in 2006 in Super Bowl XL, as quarterback Matt Hasselbeck led them to a 13-3 record in the regular season. However, the Seahawks’ first trip to the big game did not go as they hoped, as they lost 21-10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In that game, Hasselbeck completed 26 of his 49 passes for 273 yards with one touchdown and one interception. In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, the 50-year-old said there is only one thing he would have done differently.
“I don’t think there’s anything that I would have done differently other than maybe not losing my poise. There were a couple of calls in the game that didn’t go our way, and I lost my cool on the referee and didn’t regain my poise by the time the 40-second clock had, you know, it was time to snap the next play,” Hasselbeck told Fox News Digital in a recent interview with the Family Heart Foundation.
“So, I did throw an interception on that play that I’m talking about and then I made the tackle on that interception and then I got flagged again for making the tackle which, you know, that’s a whole (other thing) I got even more upset.”
Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) of the Seattle Seahawks throws a pass in the second quarter against the Chicago Bears in the 2011 NFC divisional playoff game at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, on Jan. 16, 2011.(Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The three-time Pro Bowler said that he learned the lesson of just taking things at a time. That lesson from the Seahawks’ Super Bowl loss didn’t just help him as an athlete, but also a father.
“If something in your mind (that’s) ridiculous happens, move on. And so I think that’s something that’s helped me certainly as an athlete, it’s helped me as a dad. You know, you get in the car, my kids would tell you, you get in the car after a sporting event with me, you are not allowed to talk about the referees. You can talk about whatever you want to talk about, but you’re not talking about the officials. Not doing it. And it’s a lesson I had to learn the hard way,” Hasselbeck said.
Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck greets fans before the NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on Jan. 25, 2026.(Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)
While the Seahawks did not win Super Bowl XL, they returned to the Super Bowl in the 2013 season, and trounced the Denver Broncos 43-8 to capture the franchise’s first-ever title. They made the Super Bowl the following season, against the Patriots, but lost 28-24 as Russell Wilson was intercepted on the goal line by Malcolm Butler to seal the loss.
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Now, the latest iteration of the Seahawks hopes to bring the franchise’s record in Super Bowls to .500 and get revenge on the Patriots for the heartbreaking defeat from over 11 years ago.
The Seahawks play the Patriots at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Confederation of African Football has said it will reveal the host country for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations within the next 48 hours.
The announcement comes after weeks of uncertainty about where the tournament will take place. Morocco was earlier chosen to stage the competition, but reports have suggested the North African country may no longer be fully ready to organise the event.
CAF communications officer Luxolo September shared the update on social media on Wednesday. He explained that the football body has been holding several meetings over the issue.
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He wrote that CAF would soon communicate its decision on the situation and added that the matter is receiving urgent attention from the organisation’s leadership.
For more than six weeks, doubts have surrounded the hosting plans for the tournament. Morocco was expected to organise the competition for the third straight time after previously staging the event.
However, fresh speculation started after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year. That competition ended with controversy, as some teams raised concerns about officiating decisions during matches involving the host nation.
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Although CAF president Patrice Motsepe earlier stated that Morocco would host the 2026 tournament, the absence of a formal confirmation afterwards has increased uncertainty among football stakeholders.
Meanwhile, South Africa has openly said it is ready to step in if Morocco decides to withdraw from hosting duties. The country’s Sports Minister, Gayton McKenzie, recently criticised Morocco and accused the country of creating problems for CAF over the tournament.
The delay has also raised concerns among participating teams, including defending champions Nigeria Super Falcons, who are preparing to defend their title after beating Morocco in the last final.
With the planned kick-off in April drawing closer, CAF’s expected announcement is hoped to bring clarity for teams, organisers and broadcasters after weeks of speculation about the tournament’s host.
The hosts are coming into the game on the back of a 2-2 draw away to Poland, also in the qualifiers. They went behind to Ewa Pajor’s 24th-minute strike but drew level through Veerie Buurman in the 44th minute. Jill Roord put the Netherlands ahead two minutes into the second half, but Paulina Tomasiak equalized with six minutes left in regulation time.
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Ireland, meanwhile, let a lead slip with 19 minutes to go in a 2-1 defeat at home to France. They went into the break in the lead thanks to Katie McCabe’s 12th-minute strike. Melvine Malard equalized in the 71st minute before completing the comeback eight minutes later.
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The loss left The Girls in Green at the foot of Group 2 after one game with zero points. The Netherlands are third.
Netherlands Women vs Ireland Women Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
The Netherlands are unbeaten in three head-to-head games, winning twice.
This will be their first meeting since April 2018, when the Netherlands claimed a 2-0 away win in a 2019 Women’s World Cup qualifier.
Ireland’s last six games have produced three goals or more, with each of the last four head-to-head games having witnessed goals at both ends.
The Netherlands have scored at least two goals in four of their last six games.
The Netherlands remained in 11th spot in the last FIFA Women’s World rankings. Ireland are 27th.
Ireland Women form guide: L-W-L-W-L Netherlands Women form guide: D-W-W-W-D
Netherlands Women vs Ireland Women Prediction
The Netherlands did not have the best start to their World Cup qualification charge. But they are the firm favorites to claim maximum points here and rekindle their quest to qualify for a fourth successive World Cup.
The Republic of Ireland, meanwhile, made their World Cup debut at the last tournament in 2023 and will be looking to make it consecutive Mundials. They have alternated between a loss and a victory across their last five games, and fans will hope this trend continues.
We are backing the home side to claim a comfortable victory with goals at both ends.
Flemington’s Australian Cup Prelude trails behind the day’s prominent fixtures in significance, though it might spotlight contenders for greater achievements later on.
In Saturday’s 2000m showdown, Ciaron Maher intends to debut two gallopers from abroad – Augustus and Desert Hero.
Having already raced locally, Desert Hero journeyed from the UK with William Haggas to contest last year’s Sydney Autumn Carnival.
In comparison, the German-bred Augustus was last victorious at Hamburg in the middle of last year and is co-owned by Australian Bloodstock, who previously sourced Melbourne Cup winners Protectionist and Gold Trip to Australia.
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Maher commented that Augustus somewhat resembles Gold Trip, securing his debut Melbourne Cup win in 2022.
“He flicks his action a little bit like Gold Trip,” Maher said.
“He’s got good, strong formlines coming across.
We opted not to bring him out in quarantine. We opted to give him a break and let him furnish and he’s certainly done that.
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I think he’s come up super.”
Augustus prepared via a jump-out and 1500m trial ahead of his Saturday reappearance, partnered by Mark Zahra.
“Mark rode him the other day at Caulfield (Heath) and he liked what he felt,” Maher said.
“I think Flemington will suit, a big, open galloping track. I think he will be a horse we will see more of in these better staying races.”
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Augustus faces a limited autumn program under Maher before spring pursuits such as the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup pair.
“He’ll probably have a couple of runs and whether he goes to Queensland, we’ll work that out with the Australian Bloodstock boys, but he’s impressed me with what I’ve seen,” Maher said.
Post his April Randwick start, Desert Hero showed once more, fourth in Caulfield Heath’s 1500m trial with Augustus second.
Maher revealed Desert Hero received an extended holiday after Sydney, spending time in New Zealand.
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“He’s got a good solid base. He prepped up over in New Zealand,” Maher said.
“He had a long break, which I think he needed and he’s come up well also.
He’s been out of form for a little while, so he needs to find form, but looking at the way he is, he should hit the line well also.”
Find competitive betting sites offering racing odds for the Australian Cup Prelude.
The second round of the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational begins Friday morning, March 6, at Bay Hill in Orlando, Fla. You can find full Arnold Palmer Invitational tee times for Friday’s second round at the bottom of this post.
Featured tee time for Round 2
Scottie Scheffler was asked about his slow starts to tournaments this season in his pre-tournament press conference at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He was quick to remind reporters that in four starts, he’s really only had three bad rounds.
That tracks when you look at Scheffler’s record heading into Bay Hill. In addition to his American Express victory, the World No. 1 has two other top-4 finishes. His worst result is a T12. Not bad.
And Scheffler looked strong to start his opening round on Thursday as he vies for his third-career Arnold Palmer victory. The four-time major champion made two birdies over his first four holes in Round 1.
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Scheffler will get his second round started on Friday at 1:30 p.m. ET alongside Russell Henley.
You can watch Friday’s second round of the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational from 2-6 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive streaming coverage starting at 7:30 a.m. ET on Friday, as well as featured group and featured hole coverage all day.
Check out the complete Round 2 tee times and pairings for the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
There is no settled case law, or the golf-history equivalent, for the exact definition of the Big Three. Harry Vardon, J.H. Taylor, James Braid: a threesome for the ages. Arnold, Big Jack, Gary Player, the same. And then (of course) this trio: Dr. George Franklin Grant; Dr. Cary Middlecoff; Dr. Howdy Giles. Another Big Three, at least under the popular game-show category Notable Golfing Dentists.
Dr. Grant invented the wooden golf tee (U.S. patent number 638,920).
Dr. Middlecoff won two U.S. Opens and one Masters tournament.
Dr. Giles was Arnold Palmer’s dentist and unofficial photographer.
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Howdy Giles took thousands and thousands of photographs of Arnold over the years. The basement of his home in Wilmington, Del., was a sort of Arnold Palmer museum, and the house itself (per Arnold’s longtime aide-de-camp, Doc Giffin) was done in Early, Middle and Late Palmer. Howdy didn’t push Wake Forest, Arnold’s alma mater, on his two daughters — but they did wind up there. Howdy had a ball marker made out of one of Arnold’s old gold fillings. It hardly needs to be said that Howdy published a book called “The King and I: An Unlikely Journey from Fan to Friend.”
Golf has lost a true original. Howdy died last month at age 84. This is the first Arnold Palmer Invitational without him.
Forgive the personal intrusion here: On a weekday in May in 1987, early in my nine-year stint as a reporter at the Philadelphia Inquirer, I visited the Chester Valley Golf Club, where a senior event was being played. Arnold was 57, silver-haired and tan, baking in the afternoon sun as he sat on a golf cart behind the driving range, chatting casually with a couple people. I was loitering with intent. A man, unknown to me but seeing my press button, asked me if I wanted to interview Arnold Palmer.
That would be swell.
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I fumbled my way through the interview. I wrote up something. I drove to New York City and had what turned into my first date with the woman who became my wife. I know exactly what I wore, interviewing Arnold that afternoon and then at dinner, because of Howdy. Howdy made the introduction, then took a photo of me interviewing Arnold. Later, with no advance notice, Howdy printed up the photo and mailed it to me. As I type this, that photo, and a matchbook from the Lion’s Rock (316 E. 77th Street), are on my desk. I remain stunned by his generosity and effort.
Over the past nearly 40 years, I saw Howdy dozens of times. On several occasions, when Arnold was coming to greater Philadelphia for a banquet dinner or to greater Wilmington to have his teeth checked, Howdy brought me in. Howdy was a part-owner of a restaurant called Stanley’s Tavern in Wilmington, and I once had meal with Arnold and Howdy there. When Arnold flew into the Wilmington on a new plane, Howdy invited me to come for a look-see.
Arnold gave me a tour of the plane. He noted the cashmere blankets on each seat that, Arnold said, he got for his wife, Winnie. When I left Arnold and Howdy that afternoon, I must have noted that my wife and I were looking to buy a new (that is, new to us) car. Arnold, devoted to Cadillacs for reasons both personal and professional, said, “Well, I hope it will be a G.M. product.” You can’t buy a moment like that. Howdy made it possible.
Howdy, as all true originals do, made a lot of his own moments. I recall being greenside on Father’s Day at Baltusrol in 1993 when Lee Janzen won the U.S. Open. When the putt dropped, there were four people on the green: Janzen, Payne Stewart, their caddies. Then came a fifth — Howdy, camera in hand. He was so earnest, unassuming and nice nobody could ever say no to him.
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I just went to look at the USGA’s highlight reel from that Sunday, available on YouTube, hoping I might see a glimpse of Howdy. I didn’t, but Arnold, the longtime and ultimate USGA ambassador, opens the show by offering some straight-to-the-camera welcoming remarks, in that foghorn voice. Howdy was a USGA rules official. They were both members at Pine Valley. Howdy once showed me a Golf Digest cover from 1957 that showed Arnold in full smile. “I shaved this tooth down a little bit,” Howdy said, pointing to a dangler. “It had a little bit of a fang to it.”
Howdy, a competitive swimmer at the University of Delaware, fell into Arnold’s spell through the magic of TV in the 1960s. To the amusement of his fellow dental-school students at Temple University in Philadelphia in the late 1960s, Howdy started buying his clothes out of the Arnold Palmer line at the legendary Philadelphia department store, Wanamakers. (A quote with legs from Howdy: “They’d say, ‘Hey, what’s with all the Palmer gear?’ But who has the last laugh now?”) When they were dating, Carolyn Boddorff gave her boyfriend a set of Arnold Palmer clubs. Needless to say, they had a long and happy marriage. (The two daughters married Arnold-o-philes; the four grandchildren are all getting inculcated.) When Howdy joined Bay Hill in the mid-1970s and met Arnold’s dentist, Benny Tacke, Howdy said it would be his dream to be Arnold Palmer’s dentist. “Arnie’s a lousy patient,” Dr. Tacke said. “When I die, you can have him.” Two years later, Dr. Tacke died and Dr. Giles had a new patient.
The last time I saw Howdy at Bay Hill was during the 2024 tournament, the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Carolyn had died three years earlier and Arnold had died a half-decade before that. Howdy, curiously, had developed the same kind of walk that Arnold had when he was in his early 80s, where the left shoulder dips left on the left step and the right shoulder dips right on the right. He was warm and engaging as always but time had taken its toll. He had lost his two great partners.
Howdy once described the first time he played with Arnold at Howdy’s home course, the Wilmington Country Club, mid-spring, 1976:
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“Sixteenth hole, par 5, 603 yards. The caddie bets Arnie that he can’t get home in two. The bet is for a beer. Arnie hits driver, driver, chips in with a sand wedge from 15 yards off the green for a three. Gets a six-pack for the caddie and signs the cans. Budweiser. Shoots 67. Amazing. My idol comes to Wilmington to play golf and have his teeth checked. He stays at our home and I drive him to the airport. As he flew off in his jet, I had tears in my eyes.”
Maybe you’ve seen the photo of Arnold that adorns cans and jugs of the AriZona Arnold Palmer half-and-half concoction. Arnold is maybe staring off at a distant green that just might be reachable. He’s well into his senior career. The old caddies had their own nickname for Arnold, Bull, for his flaring nostrils, particularly in the heat of battle. They’re on full display in this Howdy Giles snap for posterity. Do you think Howdy asked for anything, for the use of this photo? There’s not a chance.
Arnold once introduced Howdy to George H.W. Bush. Arnold said, “Mr. President, I want you to meet Howdy Giles, my dentist, my photographer and my good friend.”
“Oh sure,” President Bush said. “We were talking about you at dinner last night.”
Newcastle United’s striker William Osula stole the show last night against Manchester United, not just on the pitch but in the kitchen too.
The 22-year-old came off the bench to curl a stunning goal past Manchester United’s keeper and secure a win for the home side. But Osula’s Nigerian roots shone off the pitch, too. A video has surfaced showing him making Ogbono soup from scratch, a traditional South-Eastern Nigerian dish made from ground wild African mango seeds.
Teammate Joe Willock also shared in the feast, praising Osula’s cooking skills as they enjoyed the meal together. Fans were quick to celebrate not only his goal but his mastery of the popular Nigerian soup.
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Osula, who calls himself a ‘naija boy’ and even speaks a bit of pidgin, seems to be winning hearts both on and off the field.
Fujikura’s new Ventus TR Blue with VeloCore+ launched on worldwide tours in mid-January, but it’s already found its way into the bag of PGA Tour pros.
Danny Walker and Kensei Hirata were some of the earliest adopters of the new shaft. More recently, Harry Hall and Rafael Campos added it to the bag. That doesn’t include the numerous players testing the new shaft (like Nicolai Hojgaard).
While it might seem quiet so far, Fujikura Tour rep Marshall Thompson says the new TR Blue is actually ahead of schedule compared to the rollout of the first Ventus shafts to get VeloCore+ two years ago. A lot of that had to do with timing.
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“It’s much better. It’s much more received,” Thompson told GOLF. “When we launched [the previous one] it was the middle of the year, the middle of July. A lot of guys aren’t really doing testing, and a lot of guys by July are already locked in for the year.”
This time, Fujikura launched the new shaft in January, right when pros were figuring out their bags with a deluge of new products from the OEMs.
That’s led to the quicker adoption, but there’s still probably more to come.
“These rollouts always take some time,” Thompson said. “There are shafts that I build up for certain players where I think it’s got a really good chance of going in, and then I don’t see it for five weeks. Then all of a sudden that player brings it out of the garage and says, ‘Okay, now I’m ready to actually take it to the course.’”
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Thompson pointed to the 2024 rollout of the first Ventus with VeloCore+ as appearing slow, but now dozens of players have the updated versions, including U.S. Open winner J.J. Spaun and recent converts like Min Woo Lee and Tony Finau.
And while the name is the same as its predecessor, switching into the new version might not exactly be plug-and-play. Thompson said the Fuji team knew how good the original Ventus TR line was and wanted to improve it without straying too far.
By adding VeloCore+ to the shaft, the new TR Blue has an increased torsional stability (a resistance to twisting), which promotes stability throughout the shaft and center-face contact.
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Fujikura 2026 Ventus TR Blue Wood Shaft (Velocore+)
That additional stability meant engineers could reorient the Spread Tow fabric in the handle section of the shaft — the material that differentiates the Ventus and Ventus TR lines — to make the handle stiffer.
The result is a slightly stiffer handle with a slightly softer mid-section while retaining the same ultra-stiff tip. Thompson said they’ve noticed the tighter handle allows players to feel like they can go after the ball a bit more, while the softer mid creates a smoother feel throughout the swing.
That’s led to much tighter downrange dispersion for many players.
“When I can see 60 to 70 percent of players gaining and standard deviations getting tighter across the board, I know we’ve got a really good shaft,” Thompson said.
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In my own personal testing, my first experience with the new TR Blue+ was on a day when I couldn’t find the face to save my life with my OG TR Blue gamer. We switched to the new shaft and instantly the sound changed, and I was finding the middle of the face with ease. On a Foresight GC Quad, I recorded a shot exactly out of the middle of the face.
Thompson feels confident about the rollout, especially this season, where the new drivers from the OEMs are more competitive than ever. There’s still plenty of testing going on.
“Even on tour, these non-contract guys still have four or five headcovers in the bag and they’re trying different options,” he said. “And we’re already into the Florida swing.”
Conference tournaments are underway in women’s college basketball this week, and some teams’ bubbles are already beginning to burst. In total, six of the 12 bubble teams listed in CBS Sports bracketologist Connor Groel’s latest bracket played on Wednesday. Three of those teams lost: Stanford, Texas A&M and Mississippi State.
Due to those losses, Stanford and Texas A&M went from being among the First Four Out into the Next Four Out, while Mississippi State remained in the Next Four Out. Stanford’s overtime loss to Miami in the ACC tournament was the biggest story of Wednesday, as it all but guaranteed the Cardinal will miss the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year.
Meanwhile, Arizona State, BYU and Utah all moved up slightly on the bubble after winning first-round games on Wednesday, but all three teams likely still have work to do to secure an invitation. Notably, this was the first Big 12 tournament win for the BYU Cougars since they joined the conference in 2023.
What does Thursday have in store? Eight bubble teams will be in action in conference tournaments today, and then Richmond joining the action on Friday. Notably, Clemson and Virginia — the top two teams on the Last Four In group — faced off in the ACC Tournament. Clemson pulled away for a 13-point win, a result that should make the Tigers feel comfortable about making the NCAA Tournament. Virginia, meanwhile, might be sweating it out on Selection Sunday.
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Here is Groel’s updated bubble after Wednesday’s games and when to catch each team in action.
Last Four In
Clemson (beat Virginia, 63-50, in ACC Tournament)
Virginia (lost to Clemson, 63-50, in ACC Tournament)
Colorado (vs. Kansas, R2 of Big 12 tournament; Thursday at 9:00 p.m.)
South Dakota State (vs. Kansas City in QF of Summit League tournament; Thursday at 1:00 p.m.)
First Four Out
Richmond (vs. TBD in QF of A10 tournament; Friday at 7:30 p.m.)
Arizona State (vs. Iowa State in R2 of Big 12 tournament, Thursday at 6:30 p.m.)
BYU (vs. Utah in R2 of Big 12 tournament, Thursday at 2:30 p.m.)
Utah (vs. BYU in R2 of Big 12 tournament, Thursday at 2:30 p.m.)
Next Four Out
Stanford (lost to Miami 83-76 in R1 of ACC tournament)
Texas A&M (lost to Auburn 50-49 in R1 of SEC tournament)
Mississippi State (lost to Florida 86-68, R1 of SEC tournament)
Kansas (vs. Colorado in R2 of Big 12 tournament, Thursday at 9:00 p.m.)
Before 2025, Stanford had appeared in the Big Dance for 36 consecutive years, dating back to 1987 under Tara VanDerveer. The Cardinal won three national championships during the VanDerveer era, with the most recent one happening just five years ago. Long-time associate head coach Kate Paye took over after VanDerveer retired, but the former Pac-12 powerhouse has not yet found success as a member of the ACC conference.
Similarly, the Mississippi State Bulldogs are likely done after a loss to Florida, especially since they have gone 4-12 in their last 16 games and only have three wins against Quad 1 and 2 opponents. Texas A&M was one of the most intriguing bubble teams heading into conference play after a late-season surge that saw the team finish the regular season with five consecutive wins, including victories over Tennessee and Ole Miss. But the one-point loss to Auburn in Greenville will leave the Aggies on the outside of the madness looking in.
Nigeria Premier Football League side Wikki Tourists have appointed Coach Evans Ogenyi as their new Technical Adviser as the club tries to improve its performance this season.
Ogenyi replaces former Technical Adviser Abdu Maikaba, who stepped down from the position last month.
The experienced coach is expected to bring stability and fresh ideas to the Bauchi-based club. He previously worked as the head coach of Kano Pillars and also served as an assistant coach at Rivers United during his coaching career.
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Wikki Tourists have struggled in the current league campaign, winning only two of their last 15 matches. The poor results have placed the team in a difficult position on the league table.
The Bauchi Elephants are currently in 16th place with 32 points from 28 matches, raising concerns about their chances of avoiding relegation.
Club officials hope the arrival of Ogenyi will help improve the team’s form and guide them away from the relegation zone as the season moves into its final stage.
As the first notes of “Mehr-e Khavaran (Eastern Sun)” rang out at the Gold Coast Stadium, nearly 13,000 kilometers (8,000 miles) from Tehran on Australia’s east coast, the Iranian women’s national team raised their hands to their temples in salute. Most also appeared to sing along to their national anthem before the Asian Cup match against Australia.
Three days earlier, the same players had made headlines around the world by staying silent during the playing of their anthem before their opening match against South Korea. While it’s difficult to be certain, it seems likely that the players came under pressure from authorities to toe the line in the interim.
“Whether they were saying their prayers, or mouthing the anthem, it was clear to anyone watching on that the players had received the message from home that they needed to demonstrate symbolic solidarity with their homeland, currently under siege” Catherine Ordway, an Australian lawyer, academic and sport integrity consultant who has worked with numerous international sporting bodies, told DW.
The images from Australia brought to mind Iran’s men’s team at the World Cup 2022. They too refused to sing their anthem in their opener against England in Qatar before mouthing it ahead of their next match against Wales. That was in the wake of anti-government protests in their home country focused on women’s rights while the current disquiet relates to the US-Israeli war with Iran and the Islamic Republic’s retaliation.
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‘Brave dissent’ as strain shows
“Seeing the Iranian women’s team choosing silence during the anthem and loosening their headscarves was a profoundly brave form of physical dissent, especially given the heightened danger for women in Iran and the regime’s long history of punishing symbolic resistance,” Ordway said.
That has been the tightrope the squad and management have had to walk in the Asian Cup so far. They have, understandably, closed ranks to the media with only the mandatory press conferences taking place and reporters under strict instruction to only focus on the football.
But Sara Didar, a 21-year-old striker, spoke of the strain the players and staff are under in the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
“Obviously we’re all concerned and we’re sad at what has happened to Iran and our families in Iran,” she said, holding back tears.
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“I really hope for our country to have good news ahead. And I hope that my country will be strongly alive.”
Protestors gathered outside the Gold Coast Stadium before Thursday’s match, while fans have flown the Lion and Sun flag in the stands. This was the flag used by Iranians before the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Other banners supporting human rights and backing Iran’s players have also been seen in the stands, while some in attendance at the protest were opposed to Australia’s support of the US-Israeli attack.
Athlete persecution commonplace for Iranians
Sport is one of the few areas where Iranians who still reside in the country have the opportunity to present themselves to an international audience. But any show of dissent comes with real dangers.
The list of recent cases is long. Perhaps most famous is that of the so-called Blue Girl Sahar Khodayari, who set herself on fire in protest at the ban on women watching football in 2019. She later died of her injuries while awaiting sentencing. Navid Afkari, one of Iran’s highest-ranked wrestlers was executed in 2020 after being convicted of murdering a security guard during anti-establishment protests two years earlier. Kimia Alizadeh, Iran’s only female Olympic medalist, is one of countless athletes who fled the country due to oppression.
“The Iranian authorities use sport to enforce moral codes and suppress dissent, even for female spectators [women have only been permitted to watch certain football matches very recently],” said Ordway.
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“Women athletes face additional layers of surveillance and punishment because their bodies are politicized, controlled, and heavily policed.”
Unpacking Iran’s ‘existential crisis’ in war with US, Israel
Sporting protests carry real risk
After 4-0 and 3-0 defeats to Australia and South Korea so far, Iran’s next match against the Philippines on March 8 is unlikely to offer them a path to the knockout stages. But their presence, silence and salutes have all been significant.
The world will soon find out whether any other Iranian athletes will show discontent. The sole Iranian Paralympic athlete, Aboulfazl Khatibii Mianaei, is on the starting list for the men’s Para cross country skiing, which starts next week while, as things stand, Iran’s men will play at least three matches in the US in World Cup 2026 later this year.
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“I would expect to see further subtle, deniable gestures from Iranian athletes on field and in press conferences, but overt protest is unlikely due to heightened surveillance and risk,” concluded Ordway.
“However, diaspora Iranians and international athletes may show more visible solidarity.”
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