“I did not hear it, however [teammates] he confirmed that he was calling us monkeys, “he said.
The match was eventually abandoned, with some Australian and Nigerian players reportedly shaken after the incident, with Cambage allegedly saying to his teammates, “Why are you crying? I’m the one who got hit.”
Cambage has not played for the Opals since then, and the 30-year-old said she had no “interest” in joining the Australian women’s team for the upcoming Sydney World Cup. The team also planned not to select her on a preliminary team for the tournament last December.
The Los Angeles Sparks center also complained to a Nigerian player that she wished she could play for the Nigerian team as her Australian teammates were racist.
“He was congratulating us a lot and saying that his Australian team is racist. That was the day of the play,” said a Nigerian player.
The center-back also apologized to the Nigerian team for the altercation during the warm-up match at a dinner the following night and received a mixed reception.
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Australian teammates also claimed that Cambage violated COVID-19 protocols by leaving the team’s bubble in Las Vegas, where the team was based for practice and training matches before the Olympics. Cambage has previously denied this.
Several Australian players were also frustrated by the lack of responsibility of Cambage, who allegedly broke away from other practices in Las Vegas and had caused numerous incidents within the team before the clash in Nigeria.
“We put up with the 2018 Liz and let go of the standards to try to keep her happy, but she became more demanding and selfish,” an Opals player said.
Earlier this month, Cambage said the Opals had not supported him while playing for the team.
“I am living my best life, I am supported and protected to a level that the Opals and the Australian team never gave me,” Cambage said.
Basketball Australia declined to comment, while Cambage’s management did not respond to inquiries.
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