Basketballghana.com can confirm FIBA President Hamane Niang has been suspended after he was accused of alleged involvement in sexual harassment during his time as President of the Malian Basketball Federation.
The accusation was reported by the New York Times and Human Rights Watch Group on June 10 with the alleged sexual harassment incidents said to have happened within the Malian Federation.
Niang served as Mali Basketball Federation President from 1999-2007 and became FIBA President in 2019 taking over from Argentine Horacio Muratore.
The report has prompted FIBA to launch an investigation that involves three other officials of the Federation during the said period. Niang and the trio have been suspended as a result.
According to the BBC, findings from the investigation are to be communicated after the Tokyo Olympic Games. The Games were moved from 2020 to this year due to the COVID 19 pandemic and commences in the latter part of July.
Niang will be taken over temporarily by FIBA First Vice President Sheik Saud Ali Al-Thani; FIBA released a statement detailing its no tolerance stance on sexual abuse.
By Yaw Adjei-Mintah
@YawMintYM on Twitter
