Seven (7) senior players from the Malian basketball team have been banned from all basketball-related activities in the country. This cancellation follows a refusal to play the qualifying match for the 2023 World Cup against Uganda, because of unpaid bonuses.
After Cape Verde’s victory over Nigeria, Mali was to face Uganda in Group A. A meeting that did not ultimately start at the Kigali Arena. If the Ugandan team showed up on the floor, its Malian counterpart stayed in the locker room and refused to play. According to information from Sport News Africathe players wanted to protest against the non-payment of bonuses which were promised to them.
Following this strike, which shattered Mali’s dream of qualifying for the Men’s Basketball World Cup, the Basketball Federation took a sanction on the sponsors on Tuesday, July 5. “This unprecedented act is contrary to our ancestral values based on honor and dignity, on which our sporting behavior is built. No reason, however well-founded, should lead a sportsman to humiliate his country. writes the federation.
Thus, the players answering to the names of Ibrahim DJAMBO, Mahamadou KANTE, Ibrahima SAOUNERA, Sadio DOUCOURE, Drissa BALLO, Oumar BALLO and Ibrahim SIDIBE are removed from the national selection and from all activities related to Basketball in Mali according to the press release signed by the 2nd vice – president of the Malian basketball federation Mr. Mety AG Mohamed RISSA. In addition, the Federal Bureau of the FMB has asked the Minister in charge of Sports to compensate for the costs incurred for Mali’s participation in this competition by deducting them individually from the bonuses of these players.
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