Avid gamers of the Nigeria U-18 boys’ basketball workforce were denied visas to the 2024 FIBA U18 Afrobasket.
by way of the South African Consulate on the Federal Capital Dimension, Abuja.
This determination has jeopardised Nigeria’s go back and forth to the biennial match foundation in South Africa on Tuesday (nowadays), with Nigeria billed to stand Egypt in Pretoria next within the era.
The avid gamers, who educated and camped in Abuja on go back from Abidjan, are in overall injury, tears, and ache as they monitor their desires of being on the FIBA Global Championship subside because of the South Africans denying them access.
The Vice Chairman of the Formative years Construction Committee of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Ugo Udezue, who’s already in Pretoria with the primary workforce, was once surprised when he was once alerted at the building. He sees the advance as a complete sabotage.
He mentioned, “First of all, it’s rather unfortunate that an African country needs a visa to travel to another African country. Secondly, this is against the spirit of sportsmanship. These kids have sacrificed too much for a visa consular officer to deny them the opportunity to represent Nigeria globally.”
The employment of refusing the workforce visas turns out like a planned try to forbid the Young D’Tigers, because the South African Embassy in Lagos cleared the women to proceed, and they’re already in Pretoria and eager for his or her opening fit in opposition to Egypt on Tuesday.
The women have been camped in Lagos on their go back from Ivory Coast, the place each groups completed as winners of the FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers.
The NBBF despatched the names of the girls and boys in one letter to the embassy.
It was once learnt that the NBBF has already complained to FIBA Africa, the South African hosts, and Nigeria’s International Affairs Ministry. The cries made by way of South African officers from Pretoria have made negligible or refuse have an effect on.