Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress were reportedly prevented from joining the country’s delegation on the boat for the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony, according to a report by The Associated Press on Friday.
The opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympics which signalled the official commencement of the Games and the lighting of the Olympic torch, saw about 6,800 athletes parading on more than 90 boats on the Seine River for six kilometers (3.7 miles) instead of the traditional march into a stadium.
The AP, citing a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity, reported that when the team arrived at the boarding area, a Nigerian official denied them entry.
“The group was denied entry by a Nigerian official who told the players and coaches there were too many people on board. The team then made its way to the athletes village after being turned away. The rest of the Nigerian delegation shared a boat with Niger and Norway,” the AP reported.
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According to the report, the team had received logistics information for the event before making a two-hour 28-minute journey covering 138 miles (222 km) from Lille, where the preliminary basketball rounds are being held. This trip was part of a bus caravan with other teams, escorted by police.
With return buses scheduled to pick up teams at the end of the opening ceremony route, it was unclear whether D’Tigress would be able to reach the pickup point for return buses in time to avoid an overnight stay in Paris, according to the AP.
The AP reported that attempts to reach a Nigerian press officer for comment were unsuccessful.
They start their Olympic campaign on Monday, July 29 against Australia before playing two days later, and wrap up their group fixtures against Canada on Sunday, August 4.
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