Players of the Nigeria U-18 boys’ basketball team have been denied visas to the 2024 FIBA U18 Afrobasket by the South African Consulate at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
This decision has jeopardised Nigeria’s trip to the biennial tournament starting in South Africa on Tuesday (today), with Nigeria billed to face Egypt in Pretoria later in the day.
The players, who trained and camped in Abuja on return from Abidjan, are in total shock, tears, and pain as they watch their dreams of being at the FIBA World Championship fade on account of the South Africans denying them entry.
The Vice Chairman of the Youth Development Committee of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Ugo Udezue, who is already in Pretoria with the first team, was shocked when he was alerted on the development. He sees the development as a total sabotage.
He said, “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 act of refusing the team visas seems like a deliberate attempt to stop the Junior D’Tigers, as the South African Embassy in Lagos cleared the girls to travel, and they are already in Pretoria and set for their opening match against Egypt on Tuesday.
The girls were camped in Lagos on their return from Ivory Coast, where both teams finished as winners of the FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers.
The NBBF sent the names of the boys and girls in a single letter to the embassy.
It was learnt that the NBBF has already complained to FIBA Africa, the South African hosts, and Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry. The calls made by South African officials from Pretoria have made little or no impact.
