The Vice-Chairman and President, Toronto Raptors Co-Founder, Masai Ujuri, has lamented the current ban on Nigeria Basketball from international competitions while calling on all gladiators in the crisis to stay away from the sports and allow new people to come and develop the game in Nigeria.
According to the Co-Founder of Giants of Africa, it is a sad thing that Nigeria will not be represented at the 2022 Women World Cup as Mali has already been called up by FIFA to replace the country’s national team, D’Tigress, who actually qualified for the competition on the court.
“The time for change is now. I know all athletes, leaders and stakeholders in African sport will not give up on Nigerian basketball, and we will not give up on the youth,” he said.
“It’s time for us to move forward. We need a new slate and a new narrative. To do this, all the leaders that have held on to the realms of the Nigerian Basketball Federation for the past several years must all step down. Enough is enough.
“The women’s team will be unable to compete in September’s World Cup. The men’s chances to qualify for the Paris Olympics are in peril. Nigeria’s basketball community is left feeling profoundly disappointed and deflated. This is a national shame.
“We all know Nigeria is teeming with talent. The country has made leaps and bounds in basketball and has risen to the top. The opening of an NBA office in Nigeria further signifies the country’s importance in the global basketball ecosystem.”
He further carpeted the international governing sports body of basketball, FIBA, for trying to stand on the sideline when they should have done the needful.
Ujiri added: “Even international governing sports body, FIBA, has openly acknowledged its importance on the global sports scene, but yet at times, they have stood on the sidelines making a mockery of the situation. FIBA Africa has also contributed to this drama.
“The headlines blare that our young athletes have been banned from international competition – competitions they have trained and worked tirelessly for – because of the acts of individuals who don’t understand what it means to play for the team. It’s not right. It’s not fair. This will drive patriotic Nigerian athletes to play for other countries.”
