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By Olamilekan Adigun
The South African Consulate at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has denied players of the Nigeria U-18 boys’ basketball team visas to the 2024 FIBA U18 Afrobasket.
This decision has jeopardised Nigeria’s trip to the biennial tournament starting in South Africa on Tuesday (today),
Nigeria is billed to face Egypt in Pretoria later in the day.
The players, who trained and camped in Abuja on return from Abidjan, were said to have been in total shock, tears, and pain after hearing the development.
The Vice Chairman of the Youth Development Committee of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Ugo Udezue, who is already in Pretoria with the first team, was shocked when he was alerted, noting that the development was 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.”
It was gathered that the NBBF has already complained to FIBA Africa, the South African hosts, and Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.
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