The Nigeria Under-18 boys’ basketball team has been denied visas by the South African Consulate in Abuja, casting serious doubts on their ability to compete in the 2024 FIBA Under-18 Afrobasket tournament. The biennial basketball event is set to take place in South Africa, and the visa refusal threatens Nigeria’s participation.
The team, which had been training intensively in Abuja after returning from Abidjan, was scheduled to face Egypt in Pretoria this week. The unexpected visa denial has left the players devastated and disheartened.
Ugo Udezue, Vice Chairman of the Youth Development Committee of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), expressed profound shock and frustration over the situation. He criticized the requirement for visas between African countries, describing it as contrary to the spirit of sportsmanship. “It’s rather unfortunate that an African country needs a visa to travel to another African country. 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,” Udezue said.
The visa issue for the boys’ team contrasts sharply with the experience of the Nigeria Under-18 girls’ basketball team, which received the necessary clearance from the South African Embassy in Lagos. The female players are already in Pretoria and ready for their opening match against Egypt.
Both the boys’ and girls’ teams had qualified for the tournament by winning the FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers. The NBBF had submitted a single letter to the embassy with the names of both teams, but only the girls’ team received the necessary visas.
In response, the NBBF has filed complaints with FIBA Africa, the South African hosts, and Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry in an attempt to resolve the issue. However, despite these efforts, the situation remains unresolved, leaving the fate of the Nigeria Under-18 boys’ basketball team uncertain.
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