BASKETBALL South Africa (BSA) issued an email on Wednesday rejecting FIBA Africa’s approval of the Soweto Panthers as South Africa’s representatives to the Road to BAL 2027.
The BSA email from Secretary General Sibongile Fondini to FIBA Africa executive director Julien Farran followed the Basketball National League, an entity no longer recognised by the national federation, communicating on social media on Wednesday to congratulate the Panthers on qualifying for the Road to BAL after winning the BNL league title.
“On behalf of Basketball South Africa (Basketball SA), we hereby acknowledge receipt of your correspondence. At the outset, we wish to express in the strongest terms our total disapproval and unequivocal rejection of the decision taken by the FIBA Africa Executive Director to appoint Soweto Panthers as the representative of South Africa for the upcoming Road to Basketball Africa League (BAL). This decision, allegedly based on background engagements with an entity that is not recognised, nor affiliated to Basketball South Africa as the sole National Federation recognised by FIBA and South African Sports Confederation and Olympics Committee (SASCOC), is irregular, procedurally flawed and sets a dangerous precedent,” said the statement.
BSA had already held the national club championships, which concluded on Sunday and saw Johannesburg Giants emerge as victors for the second time, thus making them the country’s representatives at the Road to BAL.
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