Video - Sections of Nigerian Olympics teams unsure about travelling to Rio

Sections of the Nigerian Olympics teams are unsure about their travel to Brazil for the game as funding crisis continues to hit the West African nation.

Mikel Obi officially changes his name to Mikel John Obi

In attempting to clarify his actual name, the Chelsea veteran has just made everyone very, very confused.

Jon Obi Mikel has been called many things by Chelsea fans during his decade at Stamford Bridge... many of which are far too rude. However, while he may have got used to the abusive slurs hurled his way by a section of the Stamford Bridge support, it seems the Nigerian midfielder has finally had enough of people getting his actual name wrong.

That is why the Chelsea stalwart who was was born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna (the son of Michael Obi) in 1987, but a mistake in 2003 changed things for the midfielder. has just officially changed his name... to Mikel John Obi.

For starters, it turns out that he was never actually called 'Mikel'.

The Guus Hiddink favourite was born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna - 'Mikel' only became a thing when the Nigerian FA mistakenly used Mikel instead of Michael on his submission form during the registration process for the 2003 Fifa Under-17 World Championships.

So much so, that despite the fact it's not actually his name, he's been happy to be called John Obi Mikel ever since he joined Chelsea in 2006.

It seems, he has now officially changed his name to... Mikel John Obi.

Vanguard

Mikel risking Chelsea career for Nigeria

Mikel Obi will be the flag bearer for Nigeria at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games, having been chosen as the captain of the nation's contingent.

He will also captain the football team.

"To be my first Olympics and getting this huge honour made the tournament 10 times as exciting for me," Mikel told the UK paper, Evening Standard.

But Mike said achieving all these is at a risk to his Chelsea place as he starts his 11th season with the Blues at Stamford Bridge.

The 29-year-old faces stiff competition for spots in manager, Antonio Conte's midfield with new purchase N'Golo Kante pushing the Nigerian, Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas.

"To carry the flag of your country at an Olympics is absolutely amazing. You're leading a whole nation going into the biggest sporting event there is," he continued.

"To represent the flag of Nigeria, not just the football team, is incredible."

Mikel was jettisoned by Jose Mourinho before his sack last December but came to the fore during the interim regime of Guus Hiddink and he feels he is putting his Chelsea place at stake by leading Nigeria at Rio 2016.

"It is difficult to leave Chelsea at this time but I explained to the club why I wanted to go and I thank them for their understanding and allowing me to be a part of this.

He then added that it was a calculated risk. "Obviously, it is hard to be away because I want to impress the new coach.

"I had one week of pre-season training and you need more than that if you want to prove yourself to a new manager who wants to change everything around.

"It is a risk that I have taken but I am willing to stand by that. I hope after the Olympics I can go back and prove myself."

If he leads the Nigeria U-23 team to gold, then the risk would have been worth it.

AllAfrica

Nigeria Super Eagles get new kit

The Nigerian Football Federation has unveiled a new kit for the national football team.

According to the NFF, the team will take to the pitch this week in the new kit, designed by Nike featuring Dri-FIT technology.

“The home kit is a solid green, with white ribbing around the back of the modern crewneck collar,” it said.

“In keeping true to the national colours of Nigeria, the new away kit is white with a green stripe that runs the length of the sides of shirt and shorts, and a green stripe along the back of the collar.”

Explaining the technology used for the kit, the NFF said the Nike Dri-FIT technology “draws sweat away from the body to the exterior of the shirts and shorts, where it quickly evaporates”.

It added, “This allows players to perform at their best by remaining cooler, drier and more comfortable.

“The laser-cut ventilation holes and mesh panels in the key areas of the kit are designed to improve performance by increasing air circulation and helping regulate players’ temperatures.”

PUNCH

Former Super Eagle Taribo West remembers when Nigeria made history at the Olympics

On 3 August 1996, Nigeria made history as the first African nation to become Olympic football champions at the Atlanta Games.

For Taribo West, the former Auxerre, AC Milan and Inter Milan defender, that 3-2 triumph over Argentina in the final is still fresh in his memory.

"The Olympics in 1996 is one of the most fantastic periods in my career," West reminisces to BBC Sport.

"We had a team that could match any in the world."

West says the build-up to the Games, under the guidance of Dutch coach Jo Bonfrere, was ideal despite being beaten by Togo, in Lagos, in their final pre-Olympic friendly before travelling to the USA.

"Before the Olympics, we were well prepared in the USA. We were not distracted by the usual things we encounter back home in Nigeria, where family and friends can come and visit us in camp," he remembers.

"We were in a very remote place and we were very focused on the task at hand. Jo Bonfrere's preparation of the team was excellent."

After their opening 1-0 win over Hungary and a subsequent 2-0 victory over Japan, the West Africans lost 1-0 to Brazil in their final Group D match in Orlando, Florida.

With a 2-0 win over Mexico in the quarter-finals, the "Dream Team", as the Nigerians were nicknamed back home, collided with the Brazilians once again, in what was an epic semi-final.

The 31 July encounter is one that West, renowned for his dreadlocks and robust defending, will never forget.

After going 3-1 down in the first half, with Brazil's Flavio Conceicao scoring in the game's very first minute, the Nigerians were in a particularly tough spot.

"We knew that in the first half of that game, we had played very poorly," West admitted.

"But the key to our comeback in the second half was that we were our extraordinary determination.

"The voice of the leaders came up in the dressing room. We won that match in the dressing room.

"Fortunately, we had Daniel Amokachi, Sunday Oliseh and Uche Okechukwu. It was a big advantage for us."

Victor Ikpeba, the AC Monaco striker who was voted as Africa's top player a year later, reduced the tally in the 78th minute.

But when Jay-Jay Okocha blew the opportunity to draw level, fluffing a penalty with just minutes left on the clock, the match seemed well and truly over for Nigeria.

That feeling, however, was not in the mind of Nwankwo Kanu, the two-time African Footballer of the Year.

The former Ajax, Inter and Arsenal striker scored the equaliser in the 90th minute and displayed uncanny presence, agility and finesse to score the winner four minutes into extra-time, sending the Eagles' bench into delirium.

After such a dramatic victory against the team of Bebeto, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo, which had won the World Cup only two years before, West says the Nigerians were certain they had a golden date with destiny in the final against Argentina, at the Sanford stadium in Athens, Georgia.

"There was something in our spirit that made us realise that we going to win, although we didn't know how," West recalls.

"As soon as Argentina got the first goal, we were not discouraged. Amunike was able to give us the winning strike.

"When [Italian referee Pierluigi] Collina blew that whistle, I just collapsed on the field and knew my dream had come true.

"My [gold] medal in is the bank overseas. It is something to show to my children."

BBC