WNBA star Nneka Ogwumike frustrated after FIBA’s rejection to play for Nigeria

Nneka Ogwumike: Olympic Dream with Nigeria Fades

The outstanding basketball player, Nneka Ogwumike, sees her desire to represent Nigeria in the Olympic Games cut short. The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has rejected her request to compete with the African team in both next year’s World Cup and the Los Angeles 2028 Games. This is the third time that FIBA has denied Ogwumike’s request to play for Nigeria, the country of origin of her parents, an aspiration she pursued since the Tokyo 2021 Games.

After the second attempt, I made peace with it. The third time, it was like, let me say I gave it my all. I’m already a little fed up with this. It’s unfortunate, but there are certain things you can’t control.

Nneka Ogwumike

FIBA, in a statement, confirmed the denial of Ogwumike’s request. The first request was rejected because she tried to change her affiliation from the United States to Nigeria very close to the start of the Tokyo Games. In addition, the federation argued that her appeal for last year’s Paris Games was filed late and that Ogwumike had been a key player on the US team in their victories at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups. FIBA seeks to discourage athletes from representing more than one national team in their careers. The player expressed her frustration with this situation, highlighting that her participation with the United States, although important to them, should not penalize her individually. The United States basketball team gave its consent for Ogwumike to try to play for Nigeria. The player was not included in the US team for the Tokyo Games despite being one of the best players in the WNBA, due to a knee sprain suffered in June. Her recovery time would have allowed her to be ready for the Olympic Games. Nneka Ogwumike, who averaged 18.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game this season with the Seattle Storm, was not the only American player who was denied the opportunity to play for Nigeria. Elizabeth Williams also tried to play for the African team, but her request was rejected. Ogwumike’s younger sister, Chiney, had her request approved with reservations.

Since Chiney never played on a world championship team, that’s the reason why there are different statuses. I was also told that if I had gotten my passport a little earlier, my chances would have been better.

Nneka Ogwumike

Ogwumike revealed that, when she was younger, the United States basketball team advised her not to try to obtain a passport from another country.

That would hurt our chances of playing for the United States. I wasn’t even trying to get it to play basketball. I was just trying to get it because my parents are Nigerian. And I’m the first generation born here, so somehow we were scared into not getting passports from other countries where our families were from.

Nneka Ogwumike

Nigeria has established itself as an emerging power in international basketball in recent years. The country became the first African nation to reach the quarterfinals of the Olympic Games in Paris before losing to the United States. The incorporation of Ogwumike could have given the team a better chance of advancing even further, something that the 35-year-old former MVP believes affected her case.

That’s the underlying current of what they weren’t telling us directly, but we assumed was happening.

Nneka Ogwumike

Ogwumike hopes her fight to represent Nigeria will shed light on the process and “how people decide to choose their nationalities when they want to represent their country.”