Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament: NBBF Blames Paucity Of Funds For D’Tigers Ouster

The Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF has blamed lack of funds for the poor showing of D’Tigers at the ongoing FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament holding at the Eko Hotels Convention Centre, Lagos.

In a release from the NBBF Media, the federation thanked Nigerians for the support but noted that finances played a huge role in the execution of programmes meant to help present the best players for this tournament.

“NBBF believes that with adequate preparations, and the full complement of its best players, the national teams will continue to do the country proud and perform better. It remains a fact that paucity or inavailability of funds has always militated against the even better desired results for basketball and sports generally,” the statement read in part.

It further stated that, “the NBBF board acknowledges our collective disappointment of Nigeria basketball fans and stakeholders over the non-qualification of the country’s senior male national basketball team, to the final phase of the qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, and is full of regrets with sportsmanlike spirit. Especially that it is coming at the heels of the records-equalling feat of their female counterparts, D’Tigress.

“Our commitment is further strengthened to ensure we learn all we can from this in order to do better in the future.”

While commending the teeming basketball fans and stakeholders in and outside the country for the performance of the Women’s National team in the just concluded Afrobasket tournament in Kigali, Rwanda, where they emerged champions which puts them in pole position for the final qualification pool to the 2023 Paris Olympics; the NBBF thanked the Federal Government for their support and encouragement to allow basketball grow in Nigeria and urged Mr President to approve and release all pending current financial requests before him for approval and other past liabilities that are pending, as these growing liabilities are inflicting excruciating pains on the Federation.

According to the NBBF, some of these long outstanding liabilities Include the 2021 Afrobasket in Cameroun, where the D’Tigress emerged Champions, the Tokyo Olympic preparations and participation, and several others. “All these liabilities are getting to be a huge burden, and now hampering the ability of the NBBF to continue to provide the best of and maintain the huge successful strides made in the recent years.”

However, the NBBF stated that it hugely appreciates and thanks the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for the grand hosting of the D’Tigress, at the State House, Abuja, on the 7th August 2023, after winning the Afrobasket for a fourth consecutive time.

NBBF President Ahmadu Musa Kida and the NBBF board, also thanked the President and commander in chief of the armed forces of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in huge anticipation of his approval of all the federation’s financial requests before him, to enable the Federation fulfill its obligations of redeeming its liabilities.