Eliminated from the next World Cup, scheduled from August 25 to September 10, Senegal "dunk" on FIBA that would have unfairly dismissed. The president of the Senegalese Federation of Basketball (FSBB), Me Babacar Ndiaye, has spoken widely on the issue. He does not exclude to refer to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
"I am driven by a feeling of disappointment, frustration and injustice. On the field, it is Senegal that is qualified as the best 3rd of both groups E and F. We have 19 pts with a goal-average higher than Cape Verde. Unfortunately, FIBA decided to remove our victories against Kenya, following the general withdrawal of Mali. We beat Kenya in the first and second leg (100-55 and 86-52). We lost (4 pts +77), while we withdrew to Cape Verde (3 pts +14). The Cape Verdeans had lost against Mali (64-58) in the 1st window, then they benefited from the withdrawal of their opponent. It is in these conditions that Cape Verde will pass before Senegal. But I find that this is not a fair settlement. It is a feeling of injustice that animates us," he said.
FIBA had issued a circular after the 4th window to say this: "in order to determine the best 3rd team of Groups E and F, as the teams of Group F have played two games more than those of Group E, the results of the games of the first round against the teams having taken the last place of Groups B (Rwanda) and D (Kenya) will not be taken into account".
Thus, Senegal is not ready to give up. It wants to go all the way and does not exclude to refer to the CAS. "I think that it is the rules that must be questioned. We can't be victims of Mali's behavior. We are paying for Mali's forfeit and it is unfair. It was impossible for us to qualify. We will study the remedies available at the next meeting of the federal board and if necessary refer to the Court of Arbitration for Sport", concludes Babacar Ndiaye.
