FIBA Africa cancels Zone V qualifiers
Jun 05, 2014
FIBA Africa emerged as an organization whose executives lack order and transparency after a last ditch decision to cancel the Afrobasket Zone V Qualifiers
By Charles Mutebi
National Basketball League results
Women: A1 49 Nkumba 35
Men: Sharing 49 Ndejje 41
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FIBA Africa emerged as an organization whose executives lack order and transparency after a last ditch decision to cancel the Afrobasket Zone V Qualifiers scheduled for June 16-22 in Kampala.
The executive bowed to the illogical request led by the highly influential Egyptian basketball federation to postpone the tournament by at least three months.
FIBA consequently informed Uganda in a smug communication that if they were still interested in hosting the tournament, they could only do it between September and February.
Egypt deceitfully claimed they had not received the annual FIBA calendar that originally scheduled the Afrobasket Zone V Qualifiers between 16-22 June.
Egyptians in clinic
The same Egypt Federation that was represented at a referees’ clinic held here in April and clearly indicated on the calendar.
Egypt had initially claimed they were not ready for the event, along with other Zone V countries like Rwanda and Kenya.
But they probably realized that would be a worse excuse to put forward.
Anyway, the event that was highly anticipated by the domestic body FUBA, who had already flown in six foreign based players and were preparing to enter them into a two-week residential camp, is off until further notice.
FUBA president Ambrose Tashobya and his national team committee chaired by Mohammed Santur are inevitably deflated. All the money and time they have spent will not be reimbursed by the chaotic FIBA Africa executive.
But what is even more worrisome is FUBA may not be able to have all its foreignbased players back when the tournament takes place.
Difficult time
The basketball season in the western hemisphere where many hail from starts September and runs until March.
For players like Sharon Karungi, who is on a scholarship at an American university, it is extremely difficult to break off during the season.
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