South African Government denies Nigeria's under-18 basketball team Visas

 

In a surprising turn of events, the South African government has denied visas to Nigeria's under-18 basketball team,T preventing their participation in the 2024 FIBA U18 Afrobasket competition in Cape Town, scheduled from December 14 to 22. 

The Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) expressed their shock and dismay at the sudden visa refusal, labeling it as unjustified. Ugo Udezue, Vice Chairman of the NBBF Youth Development Committee, denounced the move as “total sabotage,” according to Sahara Reports. The South African Consulate in Abuja is responsible for the visa denial.

The decision casts doubt on Nigeria’s involvement in the event, as the team was set to face Egypt in Pretoria on the same day. After returning from Abidjan, where they participated in the FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers, the players had been training and staying in Abuja. They are now devastated and distraught as their chances of competing in the championship seem to slip away.

Interestingly, the South African Embassy in Lagos had already approved visas for the girls' team, who are currently in Pretoria preparing for their match against Egypt. This discrepancy suggests a deliberate effort to hinder the Junior D'Tigers’ participation.

The Nigerian Federation had submitted the team’s names to the embassy in a single letter, and despite lodging complaints with the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry, the South African hosts, and FIBA Africa, no resolution has been reached.