General Manager of Nigerian Basketball Club Rivers Hoopers Ifie Ozaka has lamented the financial downturn in the aftermath of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) suspension due to the Corona Virus outbreak.
The Virus has forced several sports competitions to be postponed or cancelled altogether and the BAL was no different as the continental championship’s inaugural season remains on hold.
The tournament was due to commence on March 13 in Dakar, Senegal with other games slated to be played on March 20 in Monastir, Tunisia but got postponed.
Hoopers is one of 12 teams that was set to compete in the NBA-FIBA Africa competition before the suspension took effect.
“We were prepared. Our new signings from the USA were supposed to join us in training camp, but they could not do so once the travel restrictions came into effect. We had to suspend the BAL contracts given to our foreign players. Thankfully they understood otherwise we would have been in serious financial jeopardy. The only functional offices presently are mine (for administrative purposes) and the media office” he said in a chat with ESPN.
By Yaw Adjei-Mintah
@YawMintYM on Twitter
