• Rules out sanctions, new elections for Nigeria
• Plans fact-finding visit to Lagos
The Federation of International Basketball Associations (FIBA) has said it would not ban Nigeria or compel the country to hold fresh elections into the board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF). Rather, it has shifted the deadline it earlier handed the country to resolve its issues to February 28, 2018.
FIBA met on Saturday and agreed to stick to the outcome of the June 13 elections, which brought the Musa Kida-led NBBF board to office.
The international body in a December 12 letter signed by its secretary general, Patrick Baumann and addressed to NBBF Secretary General, Chimezie Asiegbu, made reference to an earlier July 26, 2017 letter and announced the February 28, 2018 new ultimatum. It said it arrived at the decision after reviewing and analysing documentation sent to it by the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) before the November 30 deadline earlier given.
FIBA said that the new extension was agreed upon at its central board meeting held on December 9, 2017 to allow a fact finding delegation, which has been set up to visit Nigeria before the end of the latest extension ahead of its next meeting in March, 2018.
FIBA informed that the NBBF would be “contacted shortly to arrange the precise details of the visit of the FIBA delegation whose findings will be reported to the Executive Committee on the 10th of March, 2018.”
Speaking on the latest development, Asiegbu told The Guardian that the federation will now shift its focus to unfolding its long-term plans for the development of the game, adding that the technical department has resumed scouting of players for the first phase of the D’Tigers’ 2019 FIBA Cup qualification coming up between February 23 and 25, 2018.
