Two Mali gamers have apologized for combating within the blended zone following their loss to Serbia on Monday on the girls’s World Cup.
The scuffle between Salimatou Kourouma and Kamite Elisabeth Dabou occurred whereas they have been strolling by way of the postgame media space and was caught on movie by Serbian media. “We have been pissed off due to the loss so we’re right here to apologize to the world of basketball, FIBA, the World Cup,” Kourouma stated on the pair’s behalf after a loss to Canada on Tuesday. “We’re right here to apologize for the picture that was placed on social media. It was not our intention.”
FIBA is investigating the incident. Kourouma threw a number of punches at Dabou earlier than their Mali teammates jumped in to interrupt them aside. The 2 performed within the Canada recreation and coach Joaquin Brizuela stated he didn’t contemplate benching them as punishment.
“These have been two of our key gamers so despite the fact that it was a tragic incident, it was extra about that they needed to play basketball,” Brizuela stated. “We needed to play at the next stage, they usually did present that as we speak.”
Mali certified for the World Cup as a late alternative for Nigeria, which had administrative points. The African nation has gone 0-5 within the World Cup, dropping by a mean of 30 factors. Mali has received only one recreation in its World Cup historical past, in 2010.