Exclusive: NBBF Unaware Of FIBA Threats - Secretary General Insists

  NBBF Unaware Of FIBA Threats - Secretary General Insists By Niyi Busari The Secretary General of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Afolabi-Oluwayemi Olabisi, at the Federation Secretariat in Abuja on Saturday said that the Federation is unaware of any threats from the world basketball governing body, FIBA, BSNsports.com.ng can report.   Olabisi in an exclusive interview with BSN Sports said the threats that FIBA want to ban Nigeria and not recognizing the Super 8 League is a figment of imagination that never exist anywhere because the Secretariat has been in smooth communication with FIBA and they have never called her attention to any letter to that effect. She said, "Before now, the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Secretariat who is in charge for now has written to FIBA informing them that the League will start on the 11th through to 17th, they're already aware about this ongoing Super 8. In another correspondence with FIBA, I told them that on the 16, I am going to send name of club that emerge champions. So, they're already expecting my letter which contains the name of the champions that will represent Nigeria at the second edition of Basketball African League (BAL). "Communication with FIBA has been very smooth. FIBA has been communicating with me (Secretary). Even now, I am about replying an email sent to me by FIBA, they're communicating and I have been replying all their emails. Nigerians should relax because FIBA has not in any way informed the NBBF that no league should commence or will not recognise results from Super 8 League." On his part, the newly elected Player Representative, Stanley Gumut, believed that FIBA has been misinformed insisting that the Ministry is not interfering in the basketball matter adding that they are only trying to settle the leadership crisis bedeviling the game.   "This is not interference, it's a case of settling a crisis. The ministry is trying to sort out crisis and not taking up the activities of  the federation completely. They're trying to manage and fix the situation. In 2017, similar thing happened where one faction use their own constitution while the other used the ministry guidelines. Then, FIBA said this was the one we are going to recognize because government is behind them. So, what happened differently this time? What has changed?