Bayelsa state Governor Douye Diri yesterday announced a reward package for the state’s sportsmen and women that participated in different competitions recently.

Blessing Oborodudu, the Olympic silver medalist who also won gold in wrestling at the commonwealth Games, and sprinter Tima Godbless who won gold in the 4x100 relay for Nigeria at the African Senior Athletics Championship in Mauritius, were among recipients of the governor’s gesture.

Others were teenage table tennis sensation, Samuel Boboye who won two gold medals for Nigeria in the Africa U-19 championship in Tunisia as well as Bayelsa Queens, winners of the African Female Champions League WAFU Zone B tournament in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.

Receiving the athletes and footballers inside the Executive Council chambers of the Government House in Yenagoa, Diri’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, quoted the Governor in a statement as saying that the people of Bayelsa could hold their heads high because of the sterling performances of the sportsmen and women and urged them to continue on the path of success.

He noted that by their performance, they had placed Bayelsa prominently on the global map of sports, saying the state would reap rich rewards from their effort if they aimed for more success.

Diri assured the people that his administration would continue to play its part in supporting sportsmen and women to enable them to bring more laurels to the state.

Arsenal Women have qualified for the Champions League group stage following a 3-2 aggregate victory over Ajax but had to overcome a series of bizarre circumstances to book their place in this season's competition.

Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall attempted to employ the use of a concussion substitute after Beth Mead was forced off with a head injury in the second period but was denied, while there were discrepancies over the height of the goalposts before the game had even kicked off.

The Dutch international's early second-half strike gave the Gunners a 1-0 victory in her native Netherlands after they were held to a 2-2 draw in the first leg. The Champions League group stage draw will be made on October 3 with matches starting on October 19.

Arsenal put in an accomplished display in stormy conditions in the Dutch capital and could have led in the opening 20 minutes, but Stina Blackstenius shot straight at the Ajax goalkeeper.

Miedema showed her class and settled any nerves six minutes into the second half as she struck home in style, finding the corner from 20 yards after a dynamic drive towards goal.

The Dutchwoman could have added a second soon after, but her shot was well saved by Lize Kop.

The Gunners had a scare in the final 20 minutes when Tiny Hoekstra stabbed wide from close range after good work by Nadine Noordam. But Eidevall's side survived and put their name in the hat for Monday's group stage draw.

Denmark will wear "toned down" shirts for the World Cup to protest against host Qatar's human rights record and its treatment of migrant workers.

 Kit provider Hummel has also designed a third, all-black kit, to represent the "color of mourning".

 Hummel said it "does not wish to be visible" in a tournament it claims "has cost thousands of lives".

 "We support the Danish national team but that isn't the same as supporting Qatar as a host nation," it said.

 As part of the design, the Denmark badge is also "toned down". Their playing kit will be a plain red home shirt and an all-white second kit.

 Denmark's training kit sponsors will also withdraw their logos to give room for messages critical of Qatar.

 Qatar officials have previously disputed the figures on the death of migrant workers working on World Cup facilities, saying the actual total figure at the time in 2021 was 37.