In a shocking move, the South African Consulate in Abuja has denied visas to Nigeria’s national under-18 male basketball team, jeopardizing their participation in the 2024 FIBA U18 Afrobasket tournament in Cape Town.
The tournament is set to begin on December 14, with Nigeria’s first match against Egypt.
The Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) has expressed outrage and disappointment at the decision, describing it as a form of sabotage.
The team had been preparing for the tournament in Abuja, following their return from Abidjan.
In a surprising contrast, the South African Embassy in Lagos approved visas for the girls’ team, who are currently in Pretoria for their match against Egypt.
Both teams had previously qualified for the tournament by winning the FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers in Ivory Coast.
The NBBF has lodged complaints with FIBA Africa, the South African hosts, and Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, but efforts to resolve the issue have been ineffective so far.
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The audacity. Nigeria is finished
Government wont see this till it’s too late. See what they have reduced Nigerians too