By: Chinedum Ohanusi
There are indications, that the Federation of International Basketball Associations (FIBA) Africa Zone 3 senior women’s qualifiers, whose hosting was said to be truncated by basketball chiefs in Nigeria, may soon get a new host.
Following the unsavory events of last month, where the Benenise and Nigerian federations, bungled the chances they had to host the championship, which also serves as a qualifier to the African women’s basketball League; we are reliably informed that the process has been resurrected.
Sports Day gathered exclusively that enraged by the development, FIBA Africa has written to all countries and clubs in the zone; Côte d’Ivoire, Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Liberia, Republic of Niger, Nigeria, and Togo; telling them they must find a host club for the FIBA Africa Zone 3 championship to hold.
According to the letter from FIBA Africa, which is tantamount to a directive, should no host country/club be found; no team from the region would be allowed to play in the qualifiers for the African League, via tournaments organized by other zones.
Energy BC of Benin Republic were the first side wanting to host the Zonal qualifiers, before they pulled the plugs. Newly crowned Nigerian champions, Dolphins were next to show interest, but their offer was shredded, and eventually laid to rest.
President of FIBA Africa Zone 3, Col. Samuel Ahmedu Rtd, while expressing his gratitude that FIBA Africa Zone 3 has waded into the matter, also confirmed that there is now a possibility to get a host, for the championship.
SportsDay also gathered from another stakeholder who happens to be a member of the Nigeria Basketball Federation board, that “for the championship to hold in Nigeria, the NBBF needs to rise above laxity hindered by partisan maneuvering and unusual red tape, that undermined the first offer made to host the qualifiers, in Lagos”.
As things stand, no dates have yet been proposed for the FIBA Africa Zone 3 championship, which will produce two top teams that will qualify to play in the Africa Women’s Basketball League, whose first edition held in Alexandria (2023), Egypt; while Darkar Senegal hosted the 2024 edition.
