Basketball
Sexual abuse claims consume Mali’s FIBA President, Hamane Niang
Hamane Niang has temporarily stepped down as International Basketball Federation (FIBA) President amid allegations of systemic sexual harassment within the Mali Basketball Federation.
The Malian official is not accused of committing sexual abuse, but it is claimed that he largely overlooked the assault of women while he served as head of the National Federation and Mali’s Sports Minister.
An independent investigation has been launched by FIBA into the allegations, made in an extensive report by the New York Times.
FIBA has said Niang “strongly denies” the claims but has agreed to temporarily step aside while the investigation is conducted.
Richard McLaren, independent integrity officer for FIBA, has opened the investigation and is expected to reveal the findings “soon after” the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which are due to start next month.
Malian coaches Amadou Bamba and Oumar Sissoko have been suspended by FIBA along with official Hario Maiga, also of Mali, while the probe takes place.
FIBA first vice-president Sheikh Saud Ali Al-Thani will step into Niang’s role and is expected to lead the organisation at the Olympics.
The worldwide governing body confirmed it had received “several allegations about systemic sexual harassment” through the New York Times and Human Rights Watch since June 10.
It said it had asked the Mali Basketball Federation to require its full collaboration with the investigation.
“It is alleged that the FIBA President knew or should have known about the sexual abuses in the Mali Basketball Federation particularly during his time at the helm of that Federation from 1999 until 2007,” the statement from FIBA read.
“The FIBA President, who strongly denies the allegations, has taken the decision to temporarily step aside while the investigation is conducted.
“He has also offered his full collaboration to the investigation.”
FIBA stressed that it was Niang’s “right to the presumption of innocence” and said it would make no further comment pending the outcome of the investigation.
“FIBA has zero-tolerance for all forms of harassment and abuse and extends its heartfelt compassion for victims of such conduct,” the statement added.
“FIBA is committed to ensuring reports of such behaviour are taken seriously and properly investigated.”
Niang was elected unopposed as FIBA President in 2019, succeeding Argentina’s Horacio Muratore, and is serving a four-year term which is due to end in 2023.
The alleged cases of sexual abuse reportedly took place between 1999 and 2011 when Niang was President of the Mali Basketball Federation and then the country’s Sports Minister.
Niang is accused of largely ignoring the allegations, with critics claiming he continues to leave female players vulnerable to exploitation in his home country.
Over the past several months, the New York Times reported it has carried out interviews with female players from Mali who accuse Niang of failing to act.
One of the alleged incidents took place between 2006 and 2007 at a nightclub where two players, who were teenagers at the time, claim their coach groped their breasts and buttocks as they danced with them.
Niang is accused of watching and laughing rather than condoning the behaviour of the coach.
Minky Worden, director of global initiatives for Human Rights Watch, said Niang “knew or should have known” about the allegations in Mali and called for him to be suspended.
Aissata Tina Djibo, a former player for Mali’s youth and senior women’s national teams, said coaches and officials at the Federation “don’t look at you as a basketball player, but as a piece of meat to have sex with”.
Djibo and fellow sports reform activist Cheick Camara claim there were at least 100 players who say they were abused.
“It’s a system and it needs proper investigation because no girl feels safe,” said Camara.
The New York Times said it sent Niang a list of questions last week before the FIBA President responded with an email yesterday.
“I was never implicated and I never had knowledge in any way of the accusations described in your correspondence,” the email read.
insidethegames has contacted the International Olympic Committee for comment.
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The sixth edition of the annual women’s basketball championship organised in honour of the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Dr Daniel Olukoya, and his wife, Dr Shade Olukoya, will climax with the grand finale on Wednesday, July 15, at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
The championship forms part of activities marking the birthday celebration of the influential couple and has grown into one of the notable events on Nigeria’s women’s basketball calendar.
According to a press release signed by Godwin Enakhena, the Director of Sports, MFM, the tournament continues to serve as a platform for showcasing elite female basketball talent, attracting some of the best players from across Africa.
The competition has become a significant avenue for promoting women’s participation in sports while providing opportunities for players to display their skills at a high level.
Now in its sixth edition, the championship has steadily gained prominence, reflecting MFM’s longstanding commitment to sports development and youth empowerment.
Over the years, the church has played a pivotal role in nurturing talent through its various sporting programmes and clubs, particularly in basketball and athletics.
The 2026 edition is expected to culminate in a keenly contested final, bringing together top women’s teams from Nigeria in a celebration of sporting excellence and the enduring contributions of Dr Daniel Olukoya and Dr Shade Olukoya to both spiritual and community development.
The championship’s grand finale is scheduled for Wednesday, July 15, with basketball enthusiasts expected to witness another memorable chapter in a competition that has become a fitting tribute to the Olukoyas’ impact on sports and society.
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SportyTV has secured a three-year agreement to broadcast NBA games free-to-air across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, in a move expected to widen access to basketball on the continent.
The deal will see SportyTV air selected NBA games and special events on its free television platform from next season through September 2028.
The partnership begins this Thursday with Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons. For the remainder of the current season, SportyTV will show eight playoff and NBA Finals games.
Beginning next season, the broadcaster will offer a wider package that includes weekly NBA Saturday games, NBA Christmas Day fixtures, NBA All-Star Weekend programming, selected Play-In Tournament games and extensive playoff coverage, including the NBA Finals.
Vice President of Media, Marketing and Business Development at Sporty Group, Elias Gallego, said the agreement was designed to make NBA content more accessible to African audiences.
“There’s a difference between content being available and it being accessible. This deal closes that gap with NBA games, across mobile, smart TVs, and digital platforms, built around how people actually watch today,” Gallego said.
Fans across the four countries will have the opportunity to watch some of the NBA’s biggest stars, including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The coverage will also spotlight players with African roots and connections, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
Apart from live games, SportyTV will broadcast daily highlights, classic NBA content and historic matchups featuring legendary figures like Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and Dikembe Mutombo.
The addition of the NBA further strengthens SportyTV’s basketball portfolio, which already includes coverage of the Euroleague.
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By Ugo Okeiyi, Enugu
The end-of-year Ozobz Elite Basketball Invitational Tournament, tagged “Championing the Youth Through Sports, Education and Opportunity,” has taken off and will be concluded on Friday. The three-day event is taking place at the Indoor Sports Multipurpose Gymnasium, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
The grassroots basketball competition is designed to serve as a platform for discovering and nurturing the next generation of Nigerian basketball talent.
A total of 14 teams — eight male and six female sides drawn from across the country — are competing for honours in what promises to be an exciting three-day basketball spectacle.
The tournament is powered by the Anthony Ozubuekwe Foundation, in collaboration with the Enugu State Ministry for Youth and Sports Development and the Enugu State Basketball Association.
Organisers say fans should expect high-quality action, with displays of skill, athleticism and tactical awareness from some of the most promising young players in the country.
According to the organisers, the initiative is structured to positively engage young people, steering them away from social vices and criminal tendencies, while using sports as a tool for education, personal development and opportunity creation.
They added that the tournament will also give coaches and team officials a valuable opportunity to assess the mental readiness, discipline and competitive mindset of the players, while providing a conducive environment for athletes to interact, bond and learn from one another.
The competition will be played in a round-robin format, with attractive prize money on offer. In the men’s category, the champions will receive ₦2 million and a giant trophy, while the runners-up will earn ₦1.5 million.
In the women’s category, the winning team will go home with ₦1.5 million, while the second-placed team will receive ₦750,000.
With its blend of competition, youth empowerment and community development, the Ozobz Elite Basketball Invitational is expected to be one of the standout grassroots sports events of the year in Enugu State.
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