How South Africa blocked Nigeria’s participation at 2024 FIBA U18 Afrobasket tournament

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The national under-18 basketball teams of Nigeria have been denied visas by the South African government, preventing them from participating in the 2024 FIBA U18 Afrobasket tournament scheduled to take place in Cape Town from December 14 to 22. The Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) expressed shock and disappointment over the unexpected visa denial, labeling it as an act without justification.

Ugo Udezue, Vice Chairman of the NBBF’s Youth Development Committee, described the actions of the South African authorities as “total sabotage,” according to reports. The decision has jeopardized Nigeria’s participation in the biannual tournament, particularly as the teams were set to face Egypt in Pretoria.

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The players, who had been training and camping in Abuja after returning from Abidjan, were left disheartened and in disbelief as their hopes of competing in the FIBA World Championship were dashed. The South African Consulate in Abuja refused the boys’ visas, although it was reported that the girls’ team had already been granted permission to fly and were in Pretoria preparing for their opening game against Egypt.

The NBBF had submitted the names of both teams in a single letter to the South African Embassy, raising suspicions that the refusal of visas for the boys’ team might have been intentional to hinder their participation. The NBBF has lodged complaints with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the South African hosts, and FIBA Africa, but so far, efforts to resolve the issue have not yielded any positive results.

The situation has cast a shadow over Nigeria’s involvement in the tournament and raised concerns about the fairness and integrity of the competition.