Five of the top women basketball teams in Nigeria have called for a shift in the proposed date for the 2023 Nigeria basketball federation NBBF/Zenith League (Atlantic conference) phase one.
The Atlantic Conference by Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) was earlier scheduled for the indoor sports hall of the Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure.
The appeal was contained in a letter made available to newsmen by the coaches on Sunday in Akure.
According to the letter, dated Aug. 18 by the NBBF Secretary General, Njoku Peter, the one week championship scheduled between Aug. 21 and 27 was moved to Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Peter cited that change of venue was due to facility challenge which had to do with the leaking of a small part of the hall, which was not resolved between the organizers of the game, NBBF and the host state.
Meanwhile the coaches of five of the eight teams in a letter jointly signed, lamented the short notice which was about 48 hours to the arrival of teams for the championship.
The coaches who signed the statement, included Tunde Babalola (First Deep Water Team), Akojie Benson (Delta Force Team), Oladele Akiwande (MFM Team), Olawale David ( Team Dolphins ) and Sola Aluko (Sunshine Queens Team).
The coaches said the sudden change would affect their accommodation arrangement, transportation booking and other logistics for the championship proper.
The coaches appealed to the board of the NBBF to give attention to their plea for the overall development of the sport in the country.
“We received with shock the sudden change of venue of the competition as it concerns the Atlantic Conference from Akure to Port Harcourt, through a letter from the NBBF on WhatsApp today, 48 hours arrival date in Akure.
“While we understand that there could be reasons for this, and are not against a change of venue, we however, appeal that two weeks grace be given to allow us get money from our sponsors to go to Port Harcourt.
“It will interest you to know that most of us have paid for hotel and other logistics in Akure way ahead just to avoid the endless increase in the costs of everything in Nigeria,” the letter stated.
