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NBBF denies FIBA Women Afrobasket 2017 team list

By Christian Okpara
13 July 2017   |   4:10 am
The first test of the Tijjani Umar-led faction of the Nigerian Basketball Federation’s (NBBF) claim to authority came yesterday when the secretary general of the federation...

The D’Tigress taking on Guinea in a recent Afrobasket match. PHOTO: AFP.

The first test of the Tijjani Umar-led faction of the Nigerian Basketball Federation’s (NBBF) claim to authority came yesterday when the secretary general of the federation, Chimezie Asiegbu, a Ministry of Sports official, disclaimed the list of players for the FIBA Afrobasket 2017 Championship released by the faction.

The Umar-led NBBF in a release signed by former international, Olumide Oyedeji as Vice president of the board, had on Monday released a list of players expected to begin preparations for the African championship, advising the players, including 10 home-based stars, to report to camp immediately after the Zenith Bank Women League Final Eight.

The release also disclosed that veteran coach, Scott Nnaji, who will lead the team, would be assisted by Adewunmi Aderemi and Mauro Procaccini.

However, in a disclaimer signed by Asiegbu, the NBBF supported by the Ministry of Sports following the federations’ elections of June 13 in Abuja, said: “The attention of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF has been drawn to an illegal list of invited players circulating in the media and we write to inform you that no such list was released to that effect.

“Preparations for the FIBA Women Afrobasket 2017 championship are ongoing but we have not released any list. We kindly request that any list that is not emanating from the secretariat of the NBBF is not authentic and as such should be disregarded.

“The Federation is in touch with the players and would make a formal announcement as regards the AfroBasket championship in Mali in due course.”

The FIBA Afrobasket Championship will hold from August 18 to 27 in Mali.

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