President, Nigeria Basketball Federation, Tijani Umar on Thursday in Abuja called on the custodian of basketball Federation of Basketball Association (FIBA) to come out now and solve Nigeria Basketball leadership lingering crisis or the stakeholders take legal action.
Umar made this known at the 2019 NBBF Stakeholders Consultative Meeting and Training of Technical Officials which started from Thursday, 11th July, and will end Saturday, 13th.
“It is unfortunate that the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) has boxed itself into a very difficult corner, and have moral dilemma, they must come out and solve this problem.” Tijani Umar told journalists.
He lamented that the main actors (players) are suffering because most of them are not playing for any club because the league is not running adding that the stakeholders will not allow the owners of the game to continue to suffer.
“The stakeholders will not get tired because the crisis has decimated the real owners of the game (players) the media must come out and take a very decisive position.
“Unfortunately, the African office FIBA has compromised. I am so sad to admit that in Africa, we practically have all the shortcomings and we have people who should not speak on our behalf representing us. Somebody needs to stand up and save the game from going down and that is what we are doing today.
This full auditorium which comprises national team coaches, team owners, former national team players, officials and everyone that is involved in the game is here present.
He calls on FIBA to come out and find a lasting solution to the leadership crisis rocking Nigeria basketball.
“All we are saying is that FIBA must come and end this problem, we are not going to give up our resolve is very strong, the driving force is enormous and the confusion is that whatever it takes legally, morally by suasion to end this crisis must be done.
According to him, if the crisis continues, the stakeholders will have no other option than to take legal action.
“The stakeholders have also agreed to take legal processes in making sure that this crisis comes to an end.”
