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Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Al Jazeera
Nigeria sportswomen dominate again but pay remains an issue
As Nigerian women dominate sport on the continent, they're facing off not just against top talent abroad but a domestic atmosphere of mismanagement and pay disparities – and even the risk of repression for speaking out. Nigeria is fresh off a win at the finals of Women's AfroBasket, their fifth-consecutive championship at the continent's top hardwood basketball tournament, while last month the Super Falcons clinched their 10th Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) football title. The football team's successes, however, have come despite pay disparities compared with their male counterparts – when they are paid at all. The women receive a training camp allowance, but the bulk of their pay comes from per-match bonuses, which vary depending on the team's results. Both the women's basketball and football teams have been plagued by late or unpaid match bonuses for years, despite their records as arguably the best teams on the continent. But when the Super Falcons landed in Abuja after their 3-2 WAFCON victory over hosts Morocco last month, none of the players answered questions shouted by an AFP reporter in the press scrum about whether they would ask the president, who was welcoming them at his villa, about being paid the same as the men's team. Nigerian journalists on the scene said the question was useless: it was far too politically charged. 'If you speak up against what's going on, you completely lose the possibility of getting what you're entitled to, you could actually be blacklisted,' Solace Chukwu, senior editor at Afrik-Foot Nigeria, later told the AFP. Not that there are no clashes: In 2021, basketballers called out the authorities when they topped Africa, protesting against unpaid match bonuses. The Nigeria Basketball Federation at the time denied any wrongdoing, blaming the issue on clerical errors. Like the basketball team, the women's football team has found remarkable success, stemming in part from the country's population of more than 200 million, the largest on the continent, complemented by a widespread diaspora. They also benefitted from early investments in women's football at a time when other African countries focused on men's teams, Chukwu said, helping the Super Falcons win the first seven editions of the WAFCON, from 1991 to 2006. Yet they only played a handful of test matches before they landed in Morocco for this year's competition, cobbled together at the last second. The Super Falcons have not been completely silent in the face of mismanagement and disinterest from authorities. But rocking the boat too much appears to come with a cost. 'Players who lead or dare to protest… always risk not being invited or sidelined outrightly,' said Harrison Jalla, a players' union official. After Super Falcons captain Desire Oparanozie – now a commentator – led protests over unpaid wages at the 2019 Women's World Cup, she was stripped of her captaincy and not called up for the 2022 tournament. Former men's coach Sunday Oliseh – who himself was let go from the national squad amid protests over backpay in the early 2000s – called the situation a case of 'criminal' retaliation. The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) at the time denied that it dropped Oparanozie over the protests. The NFF and the Super Falcons did not respond to an AFP request for comment on the allegations that players are afraid to speak out. Players still have hopes for women's sports to expand. 'I think the sky is the limit,' Nigerian point guard Promise Amukamara told AFP in Abuja, fresh off her AfroBasket win. 'Obviously, more facilities should be built around Nigeria. I feel like, maybe one year, we should host the AfroBasket.' Aisha Falode, an NFF official, meanwhile, called on the government to 'invest in the facilities, invest in the leagues and the players, because the women's game can no longer be taken lightly'. Despite the challenges, women's sport is still finding a foothold among younger fans. Justina Oche, 16, a player at a football academy in Abuja, told the AFP that the exploits of the team inspired her to pursue a career in the sport. 'They say what a man can do, a woman can do even better,' said the youngster, whose role model is six-time African Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala. 'The Super Falcons have again proved this.'
Qatar Tribune
29-07-2025
- Qatar Tribune
Al Jazeera Media Institute winds up Sports Presentation course
Tribune News Network Doha Al Jazeera Media Institute (AJMI) recently concluded a five-day 'Sports Presentation' course led by journalist Ali Al-Maslamani, with ten trainees of varying ages and experience levels taking part. The course provided intensive training on the fundamentals of sports presentation, with a strong focus on the distinctions between sports broadcasters and presenters of other types of programmes. Participants engaged in practical exercises on preparing sports bulletins, using correct Arabic language, maintaining appropriate body language, and presenting confidently in front of the camera. Al-Maslamani emphasised the importance of hands-on training, stating that practical exercises were a constant feature throughout the course. Trainees practised reading sports bulletins, conducting interviews with guests and correspondents, and simulating communication with the control room during breaking news scenarios. Commenting on the diversity among the trainees, Al-Maslamani noted that the variety of ages and backgrounds added a unique dynamism to the sessions. The cohort included a 17-year-old student and a participant with prior experience as a producer at Al Jazeera. He highlighted that such diversity enriched the course by fostering peer-to-peer learning and exchange of experiences in addition to instruction from the trainer. One memorable moment occurred when a trainee, on the very first day, shared his ambition of working at beIN Sports. Al-Maslamani responded by underlining the importance of gradual progression and building experience step by step, stressing that success in sports media requires perseverance and steady development before reaching top-tier channels. Trainee Khalid Al-Kuwari expressed his appreciation for the practical approach adopted in the course, particularly praising the 'surprise test' that exposed participants to live studio pressures. He said it helped him manage unexpected errors and boosted his confidence. He also commended the trainer's clear and effective teaching style, which helped him understand the requirements of on-camera presentation. On the final day, each participant presented a graduation project simulating a complete sports bulletin, featuring social media influencer Mohammed Adnan as a guest. The course concluded with an evaluation of the participants' performances and the awarding of certificates in recognition of their progress and skill development in the field of sports broadcasting.
Al Jazeera
26-07-2025
- Al Jazeera
From Rubiales, sexism and indifference, Spain face England for Euro glory
Who: England vs Spain What: UEFA Women's Euro 2025 final Where: St Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland When: Sunday, July 27, at 6pm (16:00 GMT) How to follow: We'll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 3pm (15:00 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream. If the women's football players of Spain have gone from nobodies to title contenders in less than a decade, it hasn't come easy. The national team has had to fight for better coaching, decent travel conditions, and modern training facilities. It paid off with a World Cup title in 2023, the Nations League crown last year, and they face England on Sunday in the European Championship final. 'It has been a constant with the national team that we have had to fight for acceptable work conditions that would allow us to play at our best,' former Spain defender Marta Torrejon said on Friday. Where did the rise of Spain's women begin? Torrejon lived through the lean years, the time when playing for her country felt like, in her words, a 'waste of time'. And she knows from talking with Barcelona teammates who still play for their country how much things have improved. Torrejon retired from international football after the 2019 World Cup as Spain's then most-capped player with 90 appearances. The 35-year-old has since helped Barcelona win three Champions League titles and a slew of other trophies. She also played a part in one of the revolts Spain's women have staged to demand more from the men who run the game. After the 2015 World Cup, Torrejon and other players successfully pushed for the removal of coach Ignacio Quereda, who had run the team for nearly three decades, for his poor preparation before the team's first appearance in the competition. Quereda was later accused by former players of verbal abuse, an allegation he denied. 'I enjoyed playing for the national team, but the preparation and attention to the player was minimum. It felt, to put it bluntly, like a waste of time,' Torrejon said. 'The level of practice and the level of physical training both plummeted compared to what we had [at Barcelona]. It was like taking a step back. 'I am told that isn't the case now, and I am very glad to hear that.' Torrejon said she saw steps in the right direction under former Spain coach Jorge Vilda, who replaced Quereda, but felt there was still more untapped potential in the team when she retired. What was the Rubiales controversy for Spain? After Torrejon quit the team, some players announced in 2022 that they would no longer play for Vilda unless he ran a more professional operation. He was backed by the federation. Some players returned to play for him, and the team made history by winning the 2023 World Cup. The celebrations were overshadowed by the behaviour of then-federation President Luis Rubiales, who, without her consent, kissed a player on the lips during the awards ceremony in Sydney. Vilda supported Rubiales initially, and he was swept away with his boss when the players stood up to force change, from the removal of Rubiales to improving the travel conditions and handling of the team. Vilda is now coaching Morocco, which is playing Nigeria in the Women's Africa Cup of Nations final on Saturday. Torrejon said she had heard from Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes, stalwarts of Spain and Barcelona, that things are better since Rubiales and Vilda left. England wary Rubiales incident may fire Spain England's Ella Toone admits Spain may have extra motivation going into the final after their World Cup triumph two years ago was overshadowed by the events at the end of the game in Sydney. Spain beat England 1-0 in 2023 to win the Women's World Cup for the first time, with Olga Carmona scoring the only goal of the game. However, the headlines later were dominated by the forced kiss by Rubiales on player Jenni Hermoso. Rubiales was eventually fined 10,800 euros ($11,670) for sexual assault in February this year. 'It was a difficult period for the Spanish players and for what they did in the World Cup, for that to then be the main talking point, was really tough and something they shouldn't have had to go through,' Toone told reporters in Zurich on Friday. 'They should have celebrated what was an amazing tournament for them.' How did England reach the Euro 2025 final? England's place as a powerhouse of women's international football has long been established, but the last-four clash with Italy nearly provided an upset. Barbara Bonansea gave the Italians the lead, and only a 96th-minute equaliser by Michelle Agyemang forced the game to extra time. Chloe Kelly then left it late to settle the match with penalties looming. The English also had to come from behind to beat Sweden in their last-eight clash. How did Spain reach the Euro 2025 final? New coach Montse Tome has enhanced the training methods. Spain leads the way at the Euros for goals scored, ball possession, passing accuracy and clean sheets. In Spain's 1-0 semifinal win over Germany, Aitana Bonmati leaned on the team's analysts, who informed her that the opposing goalkeeper tended to leave her near post unprotected. The result was an exquisite winner from a tight angle. Torrejon said that sort of tactical insight from the staff was unthinkable a decade ago. How Barcelona played their part in Spain's rise Spain midfielder Patri Guijarro agrees with Torrejon that the sustained investment Barcelona has provided for the past decade in the women's game has boosted the national team. 'Each and every day, we work well in our clubs and I think that is reflected in the achievements of the clubs, but also in the national team,' Guijarro said at Spain's camp in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Friday. Guijarro also credits the professionalisation of Spain's women's league in 2021, which allowed players 'to dedicate ourselves fully to football'. Guijarro is one of 11 Barcelona players on Spain's 23-member squad. The Barcelona contingent includes Bonmati and Putellas, who have split the last four Ballon d'Or awards between them. Former Barcelona official Xavier Vilajoana oversaw the women's team and the club's training academy from 2015-2020. During that time, the club dramatically increased its funding for women's football and built a training programme for girls. Vilajoana said one critical decision was having the same coaches train the boys' and girls' teams. That way, the Barcelona style was instilled in all the kids, and that ball-possession, short-passing and pressure became fundamentals of the women's teams as well. 'Let's not fool ourselves, we spent many years in a very sexist society, and that was reflected in women's football. So clearly the change in the mentality of society has helped,' Vilajoana said. 'But I also believe that Barca's style of play has helped us see women players in the same way [as men].' In the background, Spain's strong feminist movement helped get the public behind the players as they made strides for equality and success. 'There were many of us players who gave it our all for the national team but weren't able to get this far,' Torrejon said. 'The one thing we knew is that we had talent. We just needed more support.' England team news Lauren James faces a race to be fit after picking up a knock in the semifinal against Italy. Beth Mead could take the attacker's place on the wing should James fail to recover. Esme Morgan was given her first start in tournament football alongside captain Leah Williamson in defence and is set to retain her place. Spain team news Laia Aleixandri returns from a one-match ban for yellow card accumulation in the tournament. The defender is set to immediately return to the backline. Athenea del Castillo is pushing Mariona Caldentey and Claudia Pina for a place on the flanks after a goal and an assist last up. Predicted England and Spain starting lineups England: Hampton; Bronze, Williamson, Morgan, Greenwood; Stanway, Walsh, Toone; Kelly, Hemp, Russo Spain: Coll; Batlle, Paredes, Aleixandri, Carmona; Bonmati, Guijarro, Putellas; Caldentey, Pina, Gonzalez
