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Another policy somersault as government reverses Nigeria’s withdrawal from international basketball competitions

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For the second time in 12 years, the Nigerian government has had to reverse its decision concerning withdrawal of the country from international competitions.

This follows Nigeria’s return to international basketball competitions after earlier withdrawing both the D’Tiger and D’Tigress.

It was akin to what happened at the close of the South Africa 2010 when the government of President Goodluck Jonathan announced a two-year international boycott from football.

FIFA promptly imposed a provisional ban on the country and it was only lifted after the international exile of the Nigerian teams was called off.

In a press statement on Thursday, Ismaila Abubakar, Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development announced  the return of Nigeria to the international basketball community.

He explained the events leading to the vacation of the initial presidential order. First was the intervention by concerned stakeholders, former Nigerian international basketball players and well meaning Nigerians to seek for solutions to the issues that triggered the decision.

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The permanent secretary also informed of the video conference held with the hierarchy of FIBA leading to resolution of all the contentious issues.

The NBBF president, Musa Kida also reportedly apologized to both President Buhari and the Sports Minister over the embarrassment the developments around basketball and the conduct of some stakeholders has brought upon the country.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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