UPDATE
Australian basketball great Andrew Gaze has responded to Liz Cambage’s statement that detailed her version of events of the infamous incident with the Nigerian basketball team in a scratch match before the Tokyo Olympics.
After a report by the Herald Sun was published on Sunday, Cambage took to Instagram on Monday to refute allegations as to the supposed racial slur she said to her Nigerian opponents.
She is reported to have told her opponents to “go back to their third world country”, and she has not played for the Opals since.
Gaze, who famously described Cambage’s previous allegations towards the Opals “disgusting”, addressed the revelation on SEN’s The Run Home.
“The only reason these (allegations) have been raised in the last few weeks is on the back of her comments which were very negative comments around Basketball Australia and in particular, the Opals and I extrapolate that… to the relationships she had with her players,” Gaze began.
“I think that her comments were highly hurtful, indicating she did not believe she had been given a safe environment and one where she felt supported and loved and cared for.
“I have not been there for a long period of her career with the Opals but I was there for some of it, and I could not disagree more with those comments.
“As I said a few weeks ago, I find them offensive, because I know how much she was supported.
“This is one that's a really sad situation, because an athlete who could potentially go down as one of the greatest basketball players, not just of Australian history, but of world history, and because of some conflict that’s been there and perhaps that conflict leading to her version of events... which is now going to detract from her legacy, and it should be a legacy that we all, as a nation, should be proud of because the nation has done an amazing job of supporting her from a very young age.
“Because of those comments and her version of events, we’re now faced with this situation where it’s going to be very difficult for her to change that narrative.”
Gaze continued: “It’s highly unlikely she’ll ever play for Australia again, she has lost the support of many of her teammates, and an entire nation, after what I think has been really good investigative journalism by (the Herald Sun’s) Matt Logue… he was able to get access to two of the players who were actually there, and the videos that he got, my understanding is (that) it came from them (the Nigerian team).
“For her to say that she did not intentionally hit (the opposition player), I don’t know how you could possibly say that when you look at the vision, the vision is there for everyone to see, it’s a very, very vicious blow that she strikes to the Nigerian player.
“I don’t know how you could argue that was unintentional, if anyone knows anything about basketball they’d see it’s a very, very high elbow, and yes she’s tall, (but) it’s a vicious one that caused a laceration to the Nigerian girl's neck.
“Others have got a different understanding and different version of what took place, and unfortunately, with this statement that Liz has made, once again, based on my understanding of the statement, she is failing to recognise that others thought she did things differently.
“All I can do, because I was not there, is go on the feedback of not just a couple, but a lot of people who are very, very close to it, and they are very consistent on what unfolded and what was said.
“So I think that it is very hard to accept her position based on the consistency of others, there is no reason to think they would all get together and all make up the story that is remarkably similar to try and hurt Liz.
“So it saddens me because this is someone that is highly talented, had contributed a significant amount with her performances to the Opals, and one that we love to embrace and with this type of response and the language she used is unacceptable by anyone and it’s sad.”
The five-time Olympian was then asked what the next stage of the story will be.
“Well, my understanding is in the foreseeable future, she will not be playing for Australia,” Gaze said.
“Here we have a World Cup coming up on Australia soil which should be a marquee event for us to win a medal at the very least. Make no mistake, we are far, far better off with her on the team as a player. (But) based on what’s been said, we are far, far better off (not to have her) because of the conflict that appears to have been caused by her language and her behaviour.
“So it is desperately disappointing, but I would like to think – she’s got a lot of life to live – and sometime in the future she can find peace.
“I don’t want any harm to her, I want her to love this nation, I want her to love the Opals, and despite this really difficult set of circumstances, I hope that at some point in time, and it’s probably a long time away, that she can look back with great pride in the contribution she has been able to make.”
EARLIER
Liz Cambage has denied racially insulting the Nigerian basketball team in the now infamous pre-Olympic scratch match.
It’s the former Opal’s first in-depth public comment on the incident, which blew up earlier this year when former captain Jenna O’Hea confirmed she heard Cambage tell Nigerian players to “go back to your third world country”.
Cambage was reprimanded for the incident and has not played for the Opals since.
It comes after the Herald Sun released footage of Cambage elbowing a player during a scratch match against Nigeria before the Tokyo Olympics, while multiple sources also confirmed they heard racial slurs in the article.
Taking to Instagram, Cambage released a statement on Monday afternoon which refutes the allegation she was racist towards the Nigerian team.
She claims her elbow “unintentionally” collected the Nigerian player, while also adding the revelation that she wanted to sit out the game for mental health reasons.
“The incident that took place during the pre-Olympic scrimmage with the Nigerian team was handled privately, almost a year ago,” the statement read.
“I am very disappointed and hurt by the events and accusations that have unfolded in the Australian media. The recount of what took place is inaccurate and misleading.
“I did not use the racial slur towards the Nigerian team that has been circulating.
“After I unintentionally fouled a Nigerian player on court I was then physically assaulted by this player on the sideline of my bench. I was hit in the face and pushed to the ground but I walked away. Prior to the game I asked to sit out because I was concerned about my mental and physical health, which I have addressed publicly.
“We did not have professional referees to manage and prioritise both teams' safety during this highly physical scrimmage.
“This is not an excuse or justification to the events that unfolded or my actions, however, I feel that a full picture of the environment that led to this outcome must be shared. I have taken responsibility and accountability for my involvement in what occurred. I genuinely apologised to the Nigerian team and I once again, am sorry that these events are being rehashed.
“I truly hope that I can move forward from this incident and apply actionable effort to be my best self.”