Kicking off!

Although Nigerians are still celebrating the victory of D’Tigress at the just concluded Afrobasket championship in Mali and their qualification for the 2018 World Cup, we have deemed it necessary to take a look at the other side of Nigerian sports.

This edition of SHOT! has taken a look at the number of international competitions Nigerian athletes have failed to attend since the coming into office of the present minister of sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung.

We spoke to sports enthusiasts who bared their minds on the consequences of Nigeria’s budding athletes missing out of international competitions like the Africa Junior Athletics Championship in Algeria, the IAAF Junior World Championship in Kenya and the Commonwealth Youth Games in Nassau, Bahamas.

In our interview corner, we took a trip to South America where we bring to you the interesting interview that Colombia’s captain, Radamel Falcao granted to FIFA.com. He spoke on a wide of issues that will interest you.

As usual, read David Billington’s Football Column if you wish to be abreast of the behind then scene happenings in the top football clubs in Europe. Those who have followed his column religiously are always the first to get the big stories in European football.

If there is any sports man who is presently kicking himself, it is Alexander Zverev who had a perfect draw at the ongoing US Open but blew his chance after he fell to Croatia’s 61st-ranked Borna Coric 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (7/4) in the first round.

In golf, women’s world No 1 Ryu So-yeon is focused on her putting as she hopes to bookend her season by winning the final major of 2017 at the Evian Championship in France next month.

And due to the international break for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers to be staged across the world, matches in the European leagues won’t hold this weekend but we have for you some interesting stories in our Euro Round Up page.

This is our line up of stories for your weekend relaxation. Keep a date with us.