NBBF Board Member Throws Light into Nigeria Basketball Age Scandal

Board member of the Nigeria Basketball Federation Ugo Udezue has absolved the NBBF of any blame in the age scandal that rocked the country’s U-18 team.

The Junior D’Tigers played with a 7 man rotation in their opening FIBA U-18 Afrobasket 2026 loss to Egypt 95-68 in Cote d’Ivoire, two days ago.

Reports later emerged that the depleted Nigerian squad was as a result of disqualification of 5 Nigerian players due to age related discrepancies.

Speaking exclusively to “SportsWora”, the
former Nigeria senior international Udezue maintained that the Federation did their due diligence to assemble a squad that rightly fits the age bracket for the continental competition.

“If a kid comes up with his passport and birth certificate, how far can the Federation go? FIBA sent somebody to, which we paid for, sent an independent person to Nigeria before they (Junior D’Tigers) went to Burkina Faso. They did a wrist test, they disqualified some of the kids. The ones that went, they played and won,” Ugo stated.

According to reports, one of the banned Nigerian players had played in recent Basketball Africa League, BAL, and failed the wrist test, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI, in Cote d’Ivoire.

Blaming saboteurs of the game in Nigeria for the recent controversy, the  AFA Sports CEO downplayed age relevance in BAL participation.

“Now it’s time for Abidjan, some elements in Nigerian basketball are sending to FIBA that some played in BAL. So a kid  cannot play in BAL at the age of 16? I don’t understand. He’s already done a wrist test. What legal right does the Federation have to say don’t play?”

The off court drama has given way for action on the hardwood as Nigeria’s second game at FIBA U-18 Afrobasket against Chad is underway in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

The Junior D’Tigers filed out with a 9 man rotation instead of the previous 7 that executed the blowout loss against Egypt on the opening day.