SHOCKING: Nigeria’s D’Tigers withdraw from AfroBasket qualifiers due to lack of funds
In a shocking announcement, Nigeria’s national basketball team, the D’Tigers, have announced their withdrawal from the AfroBasket qualifiers due to financial constraints, marking a setback for the country’s basketball aspirations.
The decision was made public on Wednesday evening, with D’Tigers citing a lack of funding from the Federal Government as the primary reason for their withdrawal.
This announcement comes despite recent reports of President Bola Tinubu clearing outstanding payments owed to various national sporting teams, including the Super Eagles football team. Tinubu’s move aimed to settle arrears such as coach salaries and allowances for national team players, both male and female, as well as the Under-20 national team.
However, D’Tigers expressed disappointment over the apparent lack of financial support, stating on their official social media handle that they were unable to participate in the AfroBasket qualifiers due to insufficient funds from the government.
This development underscores ongoing challenges faced by Nigerian sports teams in securing adequate funding for international competitions. It also highlights recurring issues within the country’s sporting administration.
Recall that in 2022, Nigeria’s former President, Muhammadu Buhari, approved the temporary withdrawal of the country from international basketball competitions for two years.
This decision was made amid a leadership crisis within the Nigeria Basketball Federation, with the aim of focusing efforts on revitalizing the sport at the grassroots level and addressing domestic league shortcomings.
D’Tigers on its X handle wrote, “Despite several 2020 Olympians committing, D’Tigers forfeit this AfroBasket Qualifiers window due to lack of funds from the government.”
