Several sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup tournament in Qatar, Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom, Tokyo Olympics in Japan, and Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon, among others, took place in 2022.
The sports industry had to struggle with postponements after COVID-19 (coronavirus) ravaged the world back in 2020.
There were tentative steps towards normalcy in 2021, but sports events kicked off fully across the globe in 2022. This was evidenced by full crowds in stadiums, hectic schedules and more drama in different sporting events, from football through tennis, boxing and basketball, among others.
For Nigerian sports, 2022 in retrospect characterised moments of celebration and of despair.
While many might not see it as a successful year for the sports industry, there are some remarkable events that brought smiles to the faces of sports lovers in Nigeria and the world at large. These indeed are unforgettable moments.
The eventful recollections include:
1. Super Eagles losing the 2022 World Cup ticket to Ghana
Nigeria’s Super Eagles lost the 2022 World Cup ticket to less fancied Ghana due to poor performance. This, for a country blessed with overflowing talent and albeit, a fast fading reputation for delivering spectacular performances in football, across age grades. This raises questions about selection processes in the country’s football administration, headlining issues of competence, commitment and integrity.
The general consensus is that the Nigerian football administrative system is run by cabals of strong men, rather than strong institutions. It is also believed that the level of cut throat bickering before, during and after elections and appointments into key positions in the football administrative framework is a compelling indication that the purpose of the contenders in the race is selfish and not in the national interest.
As such, obscure foreign managers are appointed, often to the neglect of transparency and due process and then headlining failure. Numerous claims by likewise numerous footballers, that they have been asked to pay bribes to get call ups into the national squads, are testimonials to the rot in the nation’s football administration.
Furthermore, it can be clearly seen, even from afar, that our football administrators do well for themselves, even when the nation’s football performances are poor, if not woeful.
Another graphic illustration of the malaise, was the footage shown on global television at the just concluded World Cup in Qatar, of a Nigerian football administrator resplendently decked out and looking much at ease in the lavish VIP section of the stadium in an event for which Nigeria, the country he was sworn to serve and to elevate, did not qualify and was thus absent.
2. FG suspending basketball for two years.
It has been a tumultuous year for basketball in Nigeria after the Federal Government, in May, suspended the sport in Nigeria for two years.
Although in June, the Federal Government rescinded its decision to suspend Nigeria’s basketball teams from all international competitions, the period will go down as unforgettable in the history books of the sports industry this year.
The ban came on the heels of the unending crisis plaguing the sector, as the Minister of Sports claimed that the sport needed revamping from the grassroots, as well as the domestic leagues to see it thrive again.
3. D’Tigress World Cup Disappointment
Away from the Super Eagles, Nigeria’s national female basketball team were served a bitter pill in 2022 after they were stopped from featuring in the FIBA World Cup.
The D’Tigress were disqualified after the Federal Government suspended the country’s basket teams from all international competitions and activities for two years.
4. Super Falcons’ sad outing at AWCON
Before the Super Falcon’s journey to Morocco for the 2022 CAF Women’s Nations Cup (AWCON) between July 2 and 23, Nigeria was the most successful nation in Africa. But the nation’s history and reputation in women football was rubbished in Morocco.
The Super Falcons did not only crash out in the semifinal after losing to host, Morocco, 5-4 on penalties, but also lost their third-place game 1-0 to Zambia to settle for fourth place.
The Super Falcons were the best in Africa’s women football with local coaches, but ‘corruption’ made the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to hire foreign coaches for the team. Under the tenure of former NFF President, Pinnick Amaju, the once celebrated Super Falcons fell from grace to grass in Morocco, the worst in Nigeria’s history.
The Super Falcons booked the ticket to Morocco 2022 as champions of Africa, and having won 11 out of 14 editions of AWCON.
Signs that all was not well with the Super Falcons appeared, when the team finished second in a group that had South Africa, Botswana and Burundi.
The poorest record by the Super Falcons in Morocco notwithstanding, the NFF still has faith in American journeyman, Coach Randy Waldrum, ahead the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. And unless a miracle happens, coach Waldrum will parade same old legs come next year.
5. Tobi Amusan’s 12.12 seconds at the World Athletics Championship
Tobi Amusan, the 25-year-old Nigerian sprinter, stunned the athletics world with a record time of 12.12 seconds in the semi-finals at the event, breaking the six-year-old record held by USA’s Kendra Harrison. She became the first Nigerian world champion at the World Athletics Championships with a gold medal in the 100m hurdles.
Speaking shortly after setting the world record, Amusan stressed the time was not her priority but the gold medal. “The goal was to come out and to win this gold,” she said. “Honestly, I believe in my abilities, but I was not expecting a world record at these championships.”
Nigerian sprinter, Tobi Amusan was one personality that brought smiles to the faces of Nigerians this year, breaking records at various global and continental competitions she participated in.
This year, Tobi Amusan was conferred in Abuja with the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) National Honour by President Muhammadu Buhari. The Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), on Tuesday, 20th December 2022, named Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan as Africa’s Best Female Athlete for the Year 2022.
The Nigerian sprint hurdler is affectionately called ‘Tobi Express’.
6. Flamingos qualified for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup semi-final for the first time.
In October, Nigerian Flamingos became the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, after defeating the United States in sensational fashion.
The Bankole Olowookere-led girls achieved the feat after defeating the United States 4-3 on penalties at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
It was after 90 minutes of football had ended 1-1, the game was decided via penalty shootout with the Flamingos triumphing 4-3 to qualify for a first-ever semi-final place.
Even though they would go ahead to lose against Colombia in the Semi-final and claim the bronze medal in the third place, breaking the semi-final jinx itself was historical.
7. Successful 21st National Sports Festival, Delta 2022
The 21st National Sports Festival tagged Delta 2022 was successfully held in Delta state. The festival held from November 28th to 10th December with athletes in participation from 36 states plus the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, jostling for the first position on the medals table.
Team Delta were officially declared winners of the 21st National Sports Festival in Asaba, the state capital.
Delta won 320 gold, 200 silver and 128 bronze medals to edge 35 other states and the Federal Capital Territory to stay atop the Nigerian apex sports fiesta.
Delta’s neighbours, Bayelsa, came second with 132 gold, 115 silver and 90 bronze medals, followed by another of their neighbours.
Edo, which hosted the festival’s 20th edition, won 78 gold, 94 silver and 167 bronze medals to make it a South-South affair in the top-three ranking.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that no fewer than 14,000 athletes participated in 38 sports at the festival.
The next edition will hold in 2024 in Ogun State.
It is worth noting that at the end of the Nigeria Civil War in 1970, the unity of the country was seriously threatened. The then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, initiated the National Sports Festival in 1973 as a platform to bring together youths from all parts of the country to compete, using sports as a tool to achieve national healing after the brutal 30-month civil war.
8. Brilliant Birmingham
This is a highlight of the biggest 2022 sports moments that will remain etched in the annals of the country’s history and the world:
The 2022 Commonwealth Games which ranked among the best sporting outings for Nigeria in recent years.
Nigerian athletes amassed 35 medals (Gold 12, Silver 9, Bronze 14) to finish 12 and Africa’s best. All 12 gold medalists were women, a feat that elicited wide applause.
One of the highlights of the brilliant Birmingham performance was the 4×100 metres relay.
The quartet of Tobi Amusan, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma and Grace Nwokocha produced a stunning run to win the gold and set a new African record with a time of 42.10 seconds.
While Amusan recorded 12.30 seconds in the final of the women’s 100 metres hurdles to set a CWG record, Ese Brume leapt seven metres to set a record in the long jump. Weightlifters Alice Oluwafemilayo, Adijat Olarinoye, and Rafiatu Lawal also set new CWG records in their respective categories.
9. Asisat Oshoala Shines
Another sports personality who shone like a million stars in 2022 is Asisat Oshoala.
The forward is not new to achieving big as a footballer but the FC Barcelona star striker will count 2022 as one of her most successful years.
She helped Barcelona retain the league and reached the UEFA Women’s Champions League final which they lost to Lyon. Her 20 goals haul in the league earned her the Pichichi award in the Spanish Liga F.
The Nigerian striker was also 16th in the 20-person shortlist for the 2022 Women’s Ballon d’Or award, the first African to be nominated for the prize.
Also, Oshoala bagged the African Player of the Year for a record fifth time, adding to her previous wins in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2019.
10. Victor Osimhen Sparkles
Victor Osimhen is also having a good year with Napoli and leading the club’s charge to clinch the Serie A with nine goals despite being injured for some period. He has also scored once for the Italian side in the Champions League this season.
Osimhen’s impressive run in 2022 earned him the Emerging Player of the Year at the 2022 Globe Soccer awards. He beat other promising stars like Barcelona’s duo of Gavi and Pedri, Real Madrid’s Fede Valverde, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, and Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala among others to scoop the award.
11. Highly-Rated Aruna Quadri
The table tennis star, Aruna Quadri, became the first African to be ranked among the top 10 table tennis players in the world. He reached that feat in May and placed tenth with 1565 points.
Aruna, 34, was in great form at the 2022 World Table Tennis (WTT) Star Contender championship in Qatar in March. There, he became the first African to reach the semi-final of the event, beating two Chinese on the way.
Later in September, Quadri won his second continental title in the men’s singles of the 2022 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) African championship after beating Egypt’s Omar Assar.
12. Argentina’s FIFA World Cup triumph in Qatar.
Lionel Messi led Argentina to win their first World Cup in Qatar since 1986. The Paris Saint-Germain forward netted a brace in the World Cup final against France on December 18 as the match ended in a 3-3 draw after 120 minutes.
Argentina eventually defeated France 4-2 on a penalty shoot-out as Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick was not enough to save Les Bleus.
13. Anthony Joshua’s back-to-back defeat against Oleksandr Usyk:
Joshua suffered another defeat against Oleksandr Usyk in their heavyweight rematch in Saudi Arabia in August.
Usyk saw off a spirited performance from Joshua to seal a split decision win in their rematch in Saudi Arabia.
The undefeated Ukrainian successfully defended the IBF, WBO and WBA belts he took from Joshua in September 2021 in London, adding the Ring Magazine title, vacated by Tyson Fury, to his collection in Jeddah
Both heavyweight rivals met in Saudi Arabia, 11 months after Usyk dominated Joshua over 12 rounds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Joshua was awarded a 115-113 decision by the first judge, but Usyk was awarded the bout 115-113 and 116-112 by the other two judges.
14. Cristiano Ronaldo’s explosive interview with Piers Morgan, exit from Manchester United:
November 22, Manchester United confirmed in a terse statement via its social media handles they have terminated Ronaldo’s contract “with immediate effect”.
This follows Ronaldo’s bombshell interview with British broadcaster, Piers Morgan.
Man United tore up the Portugal captain’s contract seven months early.
The Red Devils believed the 37-year-old had violated his terms of employment with his criticism of the club’s US owners, manager Erik ten Hag, the club’s facilities, his teammates and the club’s former players, including Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville.
15. Roger Federer and Serena Williams’ retirements from Tennis:
In September, Federer announced his retirement from competitive tennis in a heartfelt social media post.
The Laver Cup in London was Federer’s last ATP tournament.
The 41-year-old brings the curtain down on his spectacular career in a “super special” match alongside long-time rival Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup in London.
The tennis legend was in floods of tears despite tasting defeats to Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe in the final match of his professional career alongside Nadal.
Similarly, In August, American tennis legend, Serena Williams, announced her retirement from the game in an emotional statement.
Serena confirmed she would be retiring after the US Open, which ended in September this year.
The 40-year-old said: “I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis toward other things that are important to me.”
16. Thomas Tuchel’s sacking:
In September, Chelsea, under the leadership of new co-owner, Todd Boehly, sacked Tuchel.
Chelsea took the shock decision after their UEFA Champions League group stage 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb.
The Blues quickly appointed Graham Potter to succeed Tuchel at Stamford Bridge.
Tuchel’s sack was surprising to fans and pundits across the football world because the German had led the west London club to win the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup in the past
Come 2023 in focus, with Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup already concluded, for many soccer lovers, it will be a busy year for football across the world and in Nigeria.
Also, 2023 will see a resumption of FIFA’s men’s age-grade competition with the U-17 and U-20 World Cups scheduled to hold in Peru and Indonesia respectively.
