Nneka Ogwumike, WNBA star, frustrated by FIBA: Will not play with Nigeria

Nneka Ogwumike: Olympic Dream with Nigeria Fades

The prominent basketball player, Nneka Ogwumike, has seen her desire to represent Nigeria in the Olympic Games frustrated. The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rejected her request to compete for the African nation in both next year’s World Cup and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. This is Ogwumike’s third failed attempt to play for Nigeria, her parents’ country of origin, since the Tokyo 2021 Games.

After the second appeal attempt, I made peace with it. The third time, I said, let me say I gave it my all. I’m a little fed up with this already. 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. Her first request was rejected because she tried to switch from the United States national team to Nigeria too close to the start of the Tokyo Olympics. In addition, the appeal for last year’s Paris Games was filed late, and it was considered that Ogwumike had been a key player for the American team in their victories in the 2014 and 2018 World Cups. FIBA seeks to prevent athletes from playing for more than one senior national team in their careers. Despite the fact that the American basketball governing body approved Ogwumike to play for Nigeria, the player was not included in the American team for the Tokyo Games, despite being one of the best players in the WNBA at the time. A knee injury suffered in June prevented her from participating, although her recovery time would have allowed her to be ready for the Olympic Games. 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 represent the African country, but her request was denied. Ogwumike’s younger sister, Chiney, had her request approved with certain reservations.

Because 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 recalled that, in her youth, American basketball 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 for basketball. I was just trying to get it because my parents are Nigerian. And I’m the first generation born here, so we were scared to get passports from other countries that our families were from.

Nneka Ogwumike

Nigeria has established itself as a rising team internationally in recent years. The country became the first African nation to reach the quarterfinals of the Olympic Games in Paris before falling 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 feels harmed 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 play for Nigeria will shed light on the process and “how people decide to choose their nationalities when they want to represent their country.”