The South African Consulate in Abuja has denied visas to the players of Nigeria’s U-18 boys’ basketball team, preventing them from participating in the 2024 FIBA U18 Afrobasket tournament.
This decision significantly impacts the Nigerian team’s chances of competing, as they were scheduled to face Egypt in the tournament on Tuesday.
In response, Ugo Udezue, the Vice Chairman of the Youth Development Committee of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, who is already in Pretoria, expressed his disappointment: “Firstly, it’s unfortunate that an African country requires a visa to travel to another African country. Secondly, this goes against the spirit of sportsmanship. These kids have sacrificed so much, only for a visa consular officer to deny them the opportunity to represent Nigeria on a global stage.”
Udezue also suggested that the visa refusal appeared to be a deliberate move to hinder the Junior D’Tigers. He pointed out that the South African Embassy in Lagos had granted visas to the girls’ team, who are already in Pretoria and preparing for their opening match against Egypt on Tuesday.
