Hopes of Cameroon getting the World basketball ruling body to sanction Nigeria has hit the rocks, as the matter has been thrown out for lack of merit.
The Fédération Camerounaise de Basket-Ball (FECABASKET) had filed a protest after failing to qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019, with Cote d’ Ivoire emerging the best third placed team out of the two groups that produced Nigeria, Senegal, Angola and Tunisia.
Nigeria had gone into the last window with an impressive 9-0 record, and had made it clear after punching their ticket for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China, in which they wanted to end the qualifiers unbeaten.
But, Cote d’Ivoire’s captain, Guy Edi, was astonishing, bringing more than just leadership to the court as he spurred the hosts to a 72-46 shock victory that played a huge role in their qualification for the World Cup.
It was gathered that the FIBA ethics committee had looked into the mattered and resolved that Cameroon did not have any case against Nigeria. Head Coach of Nigeria Senior Men’s Basketball team, Alex Nwora, had frowned at FECABASKET’s match-fixing allegation against Nigeria.
FECABASKET and Cameroonians allegedly blamed D’Tigers for willfully losing to Côte d’Ivoire to aide their qualification for the 2019 FIBA Men’s World Cup.
Nwora blasted Cameroon, saying they embarked on a self-destruction mission during the qualifiers, which ultimately cost them a world cup ticket.
“If such is coming from Cameroon, that is hypocrisy.”
Instead of employing average coaches, they should have gone for the best. They have a very good coach who I know very well, he is one of the best coaches and I learnt most of the stuff from him.”