NEWS emerging from Lusaka, Zambia, where the Road to BAL Group E Division East concluded on Tuesday, is that several teams that participated in the tournament are reportedly being prevented from leaving their hotel because of outstanding accommodation bills.
The Big Tip Off (The BTO) was alerted to the situation on Wednesday by an official from Ferroviário da Beira, with a Brave Hearts official later providing further confirmation of the developments. The BTO has access to a Ferroviario da Beira invoice made out to host club Munali Suns, who are part of the local organising committee.
All teams (Munali Suns, Soweto Panthers, Ferroviario da Beira, Harare Kings, Bravehearts Basketball Club and Dolphins Basketball Club) that competed at the regional qualifiers were lodged at the Mika Convention Centre during the competition.
These are some of the ongoing basketball governance and administration concerns on the continent. Unless the basketball ecosystem gets serious about governance woes at all levels, African basketball will continue to take ten steps back.
Sign up for our monthly newsletter for all the latest feature stories and previews of events on the African continent.