The DR Congo Basketball Federation (FEBACO) has withdrawn the national basketball team from participating in the upcoming FIBA qualification tournament for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Nigeria owing to lack of financial support from government.
On Saturday, FEBACO acting President Paulin Kabongo confirmed the decision to withdraw the team from participating in the tournament that kicked off on Monday in the Nigerian capital, Lagos.
Kabongo demanded for equal financial support from government to be rendered to basketball as was the case with football.
“I confirm the non-participation of the senior basketball Leopards in the pre-Olympic tournament. This is due to a resource problem. You know all the times that we ask for the means from the government, which is the sole sponsor of the National Team, we never obtained them before the competition” Kabongo explained.
Kabongo complained that the basketball federation had previously financed the national team’s previous assignments and could not fulfill the their participation at the tournament with the athletes assured of neither fees nor bonuses.
“We have pre-financed several competitions ourselves. And right now we are running behind refunds for some competitions. There we are no longer capable of pre-financed. That’s why we’re not going to participate. We refuse to bring athletes who will receive neither mission fees nor bonuses. We no longer know which door to knock on. When the government will be able to give us the means, as is the case in football, we will leave” Kabongo demanded.
