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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In preparation for the Chief of Defence Staff Independence Day Basketball Championship, Brigadier General Aliyu Abdullahi (rtd), Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, has highlighted the objectives of the event.
According to him, it is aimed at fostering Civil-Military cooperation and Inter-Agency collaboration.
The championship, set to take place from October 2 to October 6 at the Mo Arena in Abuja’s Zone 5, aims to engage Nigerian youths positively and contribute to enhancing security through a non-kinetic approach.
He emphasized the importance of the competition in providing a platform for Nigerian youths from across the country to participate in a constructive activity. He noted that the Chief of Defence Staff, General C.G. Musa OFR, a passionate basketball player himself, believes that organizing such competitions can help cultivate the interest of Nigerian youths in the sport.
Additionally, it offers them a legitimate means of livelihood and the opportunity to showcase their talents on the international stage, thereby bringing accolades to Nigeria.
The championship will feature 16 teams representing the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, promising an exciting display of basketball skills and teamwork.
Brigadier General Abdullahi expressed confidence that the competition will not only promote sportsmanship but also serve as a deterrent against negative behaviours such as crime, drug abuse, and other forms of delinquency among the youth.
Petro de Luanda Becomes First Sub-Saharan African Team to Win BAL Finals (BAL.NBA.com); Libya’s Al Ahly Ly Forward Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. Named 2024 BAL Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year.
Angola’s Petro de Luanda this Sunday defeated Libya’s Al Ahly Ly 107-94 to win the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Championship, which took place at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda and reached fans in 214 countries and territories in 17 languages. Petro de Luanda, the 2022 BAL runner-up and one of two teams to have participated in all four BAL seasons, is the first sub-Saharan African team to win the BAL Finals after previous champions from Egypt and Tunisia.
Following the game, BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall and President of FIBA Africa Anibal Manave presented Petro de Luanda with the BAL Championship Trophy and Al Ahly Ly forward Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. with The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy for winning the 2024 BAL Most Valuable Player Award and The Dikembe Mutombo Trophy for winning 2024 BAL Defensive Player of the Year.
Petro de Luanda went 5-2 during the Kalahari Conference group phase in Pretoria, South Africa, and the Playoffs, defeating Senegal’s AS Douanes and South Africa’s Cape Town Tigers in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, to advance to the Finals. Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers defeated the Cape Town Tigers 80-57 in the third-place game yesterday.
Lual-Acuil Jr. is also the 2024 BAL Scoring Champion and was named to the 2024 All-BAL First Team and All-BAL Defensive Team after leading Al Ahly Ly to a 5-4 record during the Nile Conference group phase in Cairo, Egypt, and the Playoffs, recording per game averages of 21.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks.
Several former NBA players attended games throughout the 2024 BAL Playoffs and Finals, including BAL Ambassadors and NBA Africa investors Luol Deng (South Sudan), Ian Mahinmi (France; ties to Benin) and Joakim Noah (grandfather from Cameroon); 2015 NBA champion Festus Ezeli (Nigeria), and New York Knicks President of G League Operations Pops Mensah-Bonsu (Ghana).
The BAL has also announced the 2024 Coach of the Year, Sportsmanship Award winner, All-BAL First Team, All-BAL Defensive Team, and Ubuntu Award winner. The voting panels varied for each award and were comprised of fans, coaches, team captains, media, broadcasters, and scouts.
2024 BAL Coach of the Year
Rivers Hoopers head coach Odaudu Ogoh led his team to a third-place finish with a 6-3 record during the Sahara Conference group phase in Dakar, Senegal, and the Playoffs.
2024 BAL Sportsmanship Award
Rivers Hoopers point guard Will Perry received The Manute Bol Trophy for exemplifying the ideals of sportsmanship and camaraderie. Perry was also named to the 2024 All-BAL First Team.
2024 All-BAL First TeamPositionPlayerTeamPoint GuardWill PerryRivers HoopersGuardSamkelo CeleCape Town TigersGuardChris CrawfordUS MonastirForwardJo Lual-Acuil Jr.Al Ahly LyForward / CenterAliou DiarraFUS Rabat Basketball
2024 All-BAL Defensive TeamPositionPlayerTeamPoint GuardSouleyman DiabateAl Ahly LyGuardSamkelo CeleCape Town TigersGuardAbdoulaye HarounaAS DouanesForwardJo Lual-Acuil Jr.Al Ahly LyForward / CenterAliou DiarraFUS Rabat Basketball
2024 BAL Ubuntu Award
AS Douanes guard and team captain Alkaly Ndour won the 2024 BAL Ubuntu Award in recognition of his ongoing efforts to use the game of basketball to positively impact the lives of youth in his native Senegal. Ndour is the founder of “Kayelennioufo” (which translates to “Let’s have fun”), a basketball tournament for nearly 250 amateur players in his home neighbourhood of Bopp in Dakar. Ndour was presented with the 2024 BAL Ubuntu Trophy during an on-court ceremony on May 25 in conjunction with Africa Day.
Nigeria’ Rivers Hoopers beat Rwanda’s Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR) 78-71 in the first-ever BAL (https://BAL.NBA.com) double-overtime game and became the first Sahara Conference team to clinch a spot in the BAL Playoffs which are set to tip off at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda on May 24.
Five Hoopers players scored in double digits with Devine Eke (18 points, 18 rebounds) and Peter Olisemeka (17 points, 19 rebounds) dominating the boards as well. Will Perry added 11 points and seven assists in a low scoring affair in which both teams shot less than 40 percent from the floor.
Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza led APR with 16 points and five rebounds, while Dario Hunt finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Going into today’s matchups, APR is currently second in the Sahara Conference and will look to secure a postseason berth when they take on Senegal’s AS Douanes (4th place with 2 wins and 3 losses) this evening.
In the second game of the day, the 2022 BAL champions Tunisia’s US Monastir kept their playoff hopes alive, defeating AS Douanes 75-69 and getting their second straight win in the competition. This is a turnaround for the Tunisian champions who started the Sahara Conference from three straight defeats, but now stand one win away from the postseason. Chris Crawford led Monastir with 18 points and seven assists, Oussama Marnaoui scored 16, and Firas Lahyani finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Abdoulaye Harouna led the Douanes with 22 points, with Adama Diakhite adding 14 points and nine rebounds.
APR, AS Douanes and US Monastir will compete for the last two playoff spots when the Sahara Conference concludes this afternoon – Rivers Hoopers will take on US Monastir at 2:30 p.m. GMT and AS Douanes will face APR at 5:30 p.m. GMT.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Basketball Africa League (BAL).
Basketball Africa League (BAL)
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