The South African Consulate in Abuja has denied visas to players from Nigeria’s U-18 boys’ basketball squad for the 2024 FIBA U18 Afrobasket tournament.
This decision jeopardises Nigeria’s participation in the biannual event, which begins in South Africa on Tuesday (today), with the team scheduled to face Egypt in Pretoria later that day.
The players, who practiced and camped in Abuja after returning from Abidjan, are in complete astonishment, tears, and pain as they watch their aspirations of competing in the FIBA World Championship evaporate due to the South Africans’ refusal to allow them access.
Ugo Udezue, Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Basketball Federation’s Youth News Committee, who is already in Pretoria with the first squad, was astonished to learn of the news. He regards the development as complete sabotage.
“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 refusal of team visas appears to be a deliberate attempt to halt the Junior D’Tigers, as the South African Embassy in Lagos cleared the girls to fly, and they are already in Pretoria, preparing for their first match against Egypt on Tuesday.
The girls were camped in Lagos upon their return from Ivory Coast, where both teams won the FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers.
The NBBF sent the embassy a single letter including the names of the boys and girls.
It was learnt that the NBBF has already filed a complaint with FIBA Africa, the South African hosts, and Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry. The calls made by South African officials from Pretoria had little or no influence.
