ELIZABETH CAMBAGE: AUSTRALIAN WHO ONCE RACIALLY ABUSED D�TIGRESS APPLIES TO PLAY FOR NIGERIA

Posted on 14th August, 2023 under News Sport

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*Elizabeth Cambage: Australian Who Once Racially Abused D’Tigress Applies to Play for Nigeria*

In the midst of a racial slur shouted at members of D’Tigress during a pre-Olympics practice match in 2021, Australian female basketball star Elizabeth Folake Cambage has sensationally signaled her desire to play for Nigeria at next year’s Olympic Games in Paris.

Cambage, who no longer represents the Opals, is accused of calling D’Tigress “monkeys” and telling them to return to their Third World nation during a row in which Australia played Nigeria ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Her vulgarity was aimed at rival Nigerian center Victoria Macaulay, whom she elbowed during a closed-door practice game in Las Vegas.

However, according to Bleacher Reports, the gangly basketballer, whose father is a Nigerian, has applied to play for Nigeria.

“We’re filing for me to leave the Australian team, so I can represent Nigeria. I’ve been in cahoots, I’ve been talking to them since all of this happened. This is what I mean, people don’t know the truth,” Cambage said.

In stark contrast to the statements of players from both sides that day, the centre, who stands 2.06m tall, has always denied ever making racist remarks toward Nigerians.

Cambage has maintained her innocence, which looks to be a tacit attempt to minimize the incident, telling Bleacher Report that there were tapes of the incident that would clear her name.

“A lot of girls don’t like me. I don’t really lean towards racially backed insults,” she said.

“That’s not how I go. I’m very pro-Black. I did not say these things to these girls.

“Leak the tapes. I’ve never owned the tapes. Leak the tapes. Y’all want to see the truth, leak the tapes. Everyone in Australia that has seen the tapes, still lying about what is on these tapes, leak the tapes.

"I want it out there. Put it out there. I’ve never owned it. I didn’t even have it when everything happened. I couldn’t even protect myself with it. I had to get lawyers to get a tape with my own assault on it.”

However, there appears to be a wave of opposition to her behind-the-scenes move to change nationality, as one of Nigeria’s top players, Promise Amukamara, posted on social media platform X (previously known as Twitter) in response to Cambage’s assertions): “I’m sorry but this is false.

"Literally everyone from both teams have the same story BUT her, so y’all do the math… the only person she has been in “cahoots” w/ (sic) was the former coach of our National team and he’s no longer the coach, so there’s that!"

Source: howng.com