Coronavirus stops D’Tigers, D’Tigress from Buhari’s send-off party

Nigeria’s basketball teams to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, D’Tigers and D’Tigress ,will miss the send-off ceremony at the Presidential Villa next Monday due to COVID-19 and travel restrictions from the US, The PUNCH has learnt.

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, had during the departure of the first batch to Japan on Tuesday, said the team would be hosted by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) next Monday prior to their departure the following day.

Our correspondent gathered that both teams, who are currently preparing for the Olympic Games in California and Atlanta respectively, would miss the ceremony due to COVID-19 and travel restrictions from the US.

“It’s going to be impossible for the teams to attend the ceremony next week,” a top official of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The PUNCH.

“The COVID-19 restrictions and travel protocols from the US down here will disrupt their training programmes and besides, D’Tigers will be playing US in a friendly on Saturday in Las Vegas.”

D’Tigress play USA, France and Japan in Group B in the women’s event in Tokyo, while D’Tigers clash with Australia, Germany and Italy in Group B in the men’s event.

Both teams are expected to announce their final squad list on July 17.