The French government is insisting it will keep the plan to hold the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony on the River Seine even after a deadly attack in the French capital at the weekend amplified existing security concerns. Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera told French radio that the plan could still be adapted within the idea of the river flotilla, as media reports indicated grave concern within the security forces that the ceremony could be vulnerable to attack.

A man known to the authorities as a radical Islamist with mental troubles on Saturday stabbed to death a German tourist close to the Eiffel Tower by the River Seine in what prosecutors are investigating as a suspected act of terror. “There is no plan B, we have a plan A within which we have several alternatives,” the minister told France Inter radio. She said the “terrorist threat and in particular the Islamist threat exists” but added “it is not new and it is neither specific to France nor specific to the Games”.

The plan is for a flotilla of boats to proceed along the Seine from Austerlitz bridge in the east of Paris to Iena bridge in the west carrying athletes, delegations and officials. The culmination of the ceremony would then take place in front of the famed Trocadero Gardens across the river from the Eiffel Tower.

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NPFL: Boboye vows to lift Heartland out of relegation

New Heartland’s technical adviser, Kennedy Boboye has vowed to take the club out of the relegation zone of the NPFL. Boboye stated this in Ibadan while fielding questions from journalists during post match conference held shortly after Match Day 11 fixture against Shooting Stars Sports Club that ended goalless. The holder of two Premier league titles noted that he has never lost in Ibadan and the Naze Millionaires had consolidated his superb records which he jealously guides. In his words…”I actually came to Ibadan to pick up maximum points but a draw is not a bad result .

I have never lost here in Ibadan and you can see that this city is like my second home and I’m not supposed to lose in my home. We have a target and the first assignment is to lift the team from danger zone and we can then take it up from there.” The wasteful nature of Shooting Stars forwards was a disservice to their teeming fans on Sunday as the result has further put the club behind its target. The introduction of newly promoted academy player for Shooting Stars, Tosin Olawale added no spark to the attack after Gafar Olafimihan who wasted two begging chances was substituted.

However, the late inclusion of George Jenon who had his debut for the Naze Millionaires in the embers of the game helped Heartland to secure their third away point of the season. This is Boboye’s first point on the road having lost to Enyimba last weekend and got a point out of possible six in the two matches. The draw in Ibadan kept Boboye’s record of never losing a game against Shooting Stars in Ibadan intact. 3SC Coach blamed the goalless affairs to the unseriousness and wastefulness of his players while Boboye praised his players for a job well done and tasked them to remain focused ahead of subsequent games.