The Nigeria women’s basketball team faced an unexpected setback when they were denied entry to the delegation’s boat for the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. This information was disclosed by an anonymous source familiar with the situation, who spoke to The Associated Press on Friday.
The denial came from a Nigerian official who stated that the boat was at full capacity with more than 200 people already on board. Despite being part of the Nigerian delegation, the basketball team was unable to join the rest of their compatriots, who shared a boat with athletes from Niger and Norway.
Efforts to obtain a comment from a Nigeria press officer were unsuccessful. Messages left seeking clarification on the incident have yet to receive a response.
The team had traveled from Lille, where the preliminary basketball rounds are taking place, to Paris. They were part of a bus convoy that included several teams, escorted by police. The journey covered a distance of approximately 138 miles (222 kilometers) and took around two hours and 28 minutes.
Upon reaching the designated boarding area for the ceremony, the basketball team was informed that there was no space for them. Consequently, they had to return to the athletes’ village, missing out on the chance to participate in the prestigious event.
Due to this logistical mishap, the team spent the night in Paris instead of returning to Lille. This disruption caused them to miss their scheduled morning practice session in Lille.
Nigeria, participating in its third Olympics, is set to open its campaign on Monday against Australia. The Nigerian women’s basketball team holds a unique place in Olympic history as the only African nation to win a game at the Olympics. This victory came during the 2004 Athens Games when they defeated Korea in the 11th-place contest.
