By Joe Apu
World basketball ruling body, FIBA has insisted that Nigeria remains out of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup billed for Sydney, Australia later in the year.
Despite Nigeria being replaced by Mali, FIBA says that the Nigeria Basketball Federation will still face disciplinary action for withdrawing D’Tigress.
According to a FIBA Statement regarding the Nigeria Basketball Federation released at the Secretariat, the statement reads that, “the Nigerian women’s national team has been withdrawn from the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 and replaced by Mali, as confirmed on June 2, 2022.
“The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) will be subject to disciplinary sanctions for this withdrawal and its consequences, including on the players and the competition.”
In June 2, 2022, FIBA had FIBA noted that it was informed about the decision of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to withdraw the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) from all international basketball competitions and activities for a period of two years.
“In subsequent communications with the NBBF, and despite FIBA’s request, it has become clear that against the circumstances created by the government’s decision, the NBBF is unable to confirm its participation in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022.
“Given the multiple strict deadlines that cannot be postponed in order to ensure the successful staging of a major international event (visa procedures, schedules, ticket sales, accommodations, friendly games, preliminary rosters, flight tickets, accreditations, etc.) and to protect the integrity of the competition, the FIBA Executive Committee has decided that Nigeria’s withdrawal from the FIBA Women’s World Cup2022 is confirmed.
FIBA further stated that Mali, as the next ranked team from Group B of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, is invited to participate in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022.
The statement also noted that FIBA has received no official information from the NBBF or other authorities in relation to the Nigerian men’s national team.