Dr. Amos Adamu gets three year ban from football

FIFA's Ethics Committee has finally released its ruling on the allegations of vote selling against Nigeria's Dr. Amos Adamu and others.

Dr. Amos Adamu got a three year ban from all football-related activites plus a $10, 000 dollars fine as punishment for his role in the scandal.

In a quick reaction, Dr. Adamu in a statement reiterated his innocence and expressed displeasure with the Ethics Committee's findings.

"I am profoundly disappointed with the Ethics Committee's findings and had honestly believed I would be exonerated of any charges by now," he said.

"I am innocent of all the charges levelled against me by the Ethics Committee and I completely refute the decision they have made.

"I will be lodging a full appeal against it with immediate effect." He said.

The Committee also found Tahiti's Reynald Temarii, Tunisia's Slim Aloulou, Mali's Amadu Diakite, Botswana's Ismael Bhamjee and Tonga's Ahongalu Fusimalohi guilty.

In addition to a $10,000 dollar fine, Bhamjee was banned for four years, Diakite and Fusimalohi for three and Aloulou for two.

Temarii got the least punishment - he was suspended for one year and got slammed with a $5,000 fine.

Daily Trust

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Michael Emenalo appointed as Chelsea's assistant coach

Former Eagles defender, Michael Emenalo was yesterday confirmed as Chelsea number two. He is to replace Ray Wilkins, whose contract expired this month.

According to reports from Stamford Bridge, Emenalo was elevated to this position following the "great work" he has been doing for the Blues since he joined as chief scout in 2007.

Emenalo who won 14 caps for the Eagles was part of the team that shook the world at the USA'94 World Cup. He played against Argentina and Greece in the group preliminaries.He was brought to Chelsea by Avram Grant with whom he shared a player and coach relationship in Maccabi Tel Aviv.

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Mikel dares Siasia

Nigeria and Chelsea midfielder, John Obi Mikel in a veiled response to suggestions by Eagles' coach Samson Siasia for him to quit Chelsea, Mikel has vowed to end his career at Stamford Bridge.

Mikel who has been adjudged the best passer of the ball in the English premier league, said that it was Chelsea that made him the professional player that he is today. He added that teammates at Stamford Bridge are like brothers to him and coach Carlo Anceloti is like a father.

"I love playing here. There are so many nice guys, the players and the staff, everyone. It is more like a home for me.

"I love England and I love London so why go somewhere else? I want to see this club win trophies and I want to be part of it. I want to stay here for the rest of my career,"said Mikel.

He added that when he joined Chelsea from Lyn Oslo, things were difficult because of the transfer tussle between Chelsea and Manchester United.

"It was a hard time, a difficult time, for me. "It put a lot of pressure on me. I didn't expect it to go that way I just wanted a normal transfer, but obviously it went on for more than a year.

"I went to Lyn Oslo and played maybe just five or six games and then it all happened. I've always said this is where I want to be. People said you're not going to get games because there are lots of big players.

"People were putting pressure on me, about the decision of whether to go to Chelsea or United. I made my choice and stuck by it."

He said that former Chelsea coach, Jose Mourinho helped him to be focused.

"Every time I did something wrong, every mistake I made, he would get Didier Drogba to talk to me. I was off it, I didn't know what I was doing. It was hard for me to take responsibility,"

He said Ancelotti has also given him equal attention."Carlo's always talking to me. He's always there to give me advice and I take it, whether he's criticising me or giving me positive advice. He played the same role I played so maybe he is trying to make me be a bit like him."

Siasia said last week that Mikel's game has taken a dip following his stay at Chelsea. He urged the former under-20 star to join a new club if he is to rediscover himself in football.

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Militants threatens to cripple oil industry

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on Tuesday claimed responsibility for the attack on the ExxonMobil Ibeno oil facility in Akwa Ibom State, six weeks after it hit Abuja with bomb blasts that killed and maimed.

The MEND warned that it would, in the coming weeks, launch a major operation to cripple oil business, a reminder of the attacks on oil facilities that began in 2006 and lasted till the amnesty deal was struck in October last year.

MEND Spokesman Jomo Gbomo said the latest incident began at about 2040 hours Nigerian time and ended at about 2237 hours after its fighters detonated explosives earlier rigged to the facility, causing damage.

Seven employees were abducted, as happened in another attack at the Okoro oil field on November 7.

The MEND explained that hostages were taken to prevent the government from attributing the damage to an industrial accident.

Gbomo issued a statement which drew the attention of the international community to Nigerian troops' "indiscriminate bombing and strafing of communities" in the Niger Delta and locations in the creeks and swamps suspected of accommodating militia camps.

He alleged that at about 1400 hours on November 15, soldiers "carried out such an attack as described above, in one of our camps in Rivers State.

"Expatriate hostages held at this location had to be removed and relocated for their safety as rocket attacks by the Nigerian military came very close to these individuals.

"The Nigerian Government should be mindful of the fact that these activities are endangering the lives of these hostages who otherwise would come to no harm in our custody."

The statement said no amount of military activities will secure the release of the hostages, who will be set free when the MEND decides to.

It noted that Abuja "has refused to dialogue over addressing the injustice in the Niger Delta preferring instead to deceive the world into believing that the Niger Delta issue has been resolved by the government of Goodluck Jonathan who has only been successful in bribing a few miscreants."

Daily Independent

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