Liz Cambage has responded to claims she called Nigerian basketball players ‘monkeys’ and told them to go back to their ‘third world country’ during an intense scrimmage last year.
The former Opal was been accused of calling the Nigerians racial slurs after elbowing one of her opponents in the neck and slapping another in the face during the clash, which is still sending shockwaves through the Australian national side.
Cambage allegedly used the slur after a Nigerian player king-hit her in the head as retaliation for the two physical clashes, reported the Daily Telegraph, which also obtained a video showing the star appearing to strike her opponent Victoria Macaulay with the elbow.
On Monday she responded to the allegations, and comments from former NBA star Andrew Bogut, saying she was being unfairly targeted by the media.
‘I did not use the racial slur towards the Nigerian team that has been circulating,’ Cambage wrote on Instagram.
‘After I unintentionally fouled a Nigeria 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.
Liz Cambage has responded to claims she called Nigerian basketball players ‘monkeys’ and told them to go back to their ‘third world country’
Cambage’s full statement on the allegations from Nigerian players and former NBA star Andrew Bogut about the intense scrimmage last year
‘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.’
A Nigerian player claims the Australian told one of her teammates on the day of the brawl that she wished she played for the African nation because her fellow Opals were racist, according to the publication.
The new revelations led to Bogut using Twitter to fire a broadside at the controversial ex-Opal on Sunday.
Liz Cambage has been accused of calling Nigerian players ‘monkeys’ during an infamous brawl that derailed Australia’s preparations for the Tokyo Olympics
A Nigerian player claims the former Opals star told her that her Aussie teammates were racist and she wished she played for the African nation instead
Replying to comments on the controversy from other users, he said he needed to ‘point out the hypocrisy of someone who ‘stands against racism’.
The former Golden State Warriors star was referring to Cambage slamming Australia’s Tokyo Olympics promotions for lacking diversity when he added, ‘Big problem when you publicly advocate for something and say it’s a huge problem in the world, then do that very thing.’
When another user tweeted, ‘There seems to be a constant theme lately that those who virtue signal the loudest end up being the worst offenders about the very thing they stand against,’ Bogut replied, ‘Fact check: true.’
Cambage broke her silence on the controversy after earlier allegations that she told the Nigerians to ‘go back to your third world country’ were aired by posting a cryptic tweet that read, ‘The truth will always come to light, and it ain’t even dawn yet.’
Bogut re-posted that comment along with a screenshot of the article that featured the ‘monkey’ slur allegations.
It’s not the first time he has slammed Cambage.
Bogut wasted little time in branding Cambage a hypocrite once the allegations came to light
When it was first alleged Cambage told the Nigerians to go back to their ‘third-world country’, Bogut claimed the full version of what she said was ‘beyond despicable’
When former Opals captain Jenna O’Hea made the ‘go back to your third world country’ accusations earlier this month, Bogut insisted there was much worse to come.
‘It’s beyond despicable what was said and I truly believe if that was anyone else, we’d hear much more about it,’ he said.
‘There’s much more in there that you can’t say on radio … there were some other words used that I would never repeat, that I would never say, to be honest with you.’
According to the most recent report, the Nigerians were especially shocked by the alleged slurs because Cambage’s father is from the African nation.
‘As a black person, that would be something she would be offended by, so for her to say it, I believe that she just really wanted to cut deep,’ one of the team said.
‘For us being Nigerian, any other Nigerian we see – half, a quarter – if you’re Nigerian we’ll be calling you a sister,’ another player explained.
The effect of Cambage’s alleged slurs on the Nigerians was made worse by the fact her father is Nigerian, the report claims
Nigerian players turned their back on the Aussie when she fronted their team to apologise
‘Although she’s Australian we knew she was half Nigerian so before then it was like she was one of us.
‘That was another thing to cut deep, for her to do that and not show any remorse at all.’
Cambage went to a Nigerian team dinner the day after the brawl to apologise but half the team turned her back on her, according to the report.
An Opal said one of the Nigerians retaliated for the elbow and face slap by punching Cambage in the temple from behind, causing her to crash into the Australian bench.
The brawl left some Opals in tears and the team’s centre, Ezi Magbegor – who is of Nigerian heritage – was especially shattered.
The 30-year-old defended abandoning the Opals just weeks out from the Tokyo Games and said she never felt supported by her teammates
Cambage was independently investigated and issued a formal reprimand – but not suspended or fined – after the practice game altercation derailed the Opals’ Tokyo campaign.
An Opals teammate said Cambage gave a ‘lighthearted’ apology to the team, which was offside with her because she allegedly didn’t participate much in their Olympic preparations.
They were further offended when the star took to Twitter to wish the Nigerian team luck in Tokyo just before the Games began.
The Opals were offended when Cambage took to Twitter to wish the Nigerian team luck at the Toyko Games just before the Olympics began
Cambage defended abandoning the Australian national basketball team weeks before the Olympics, claiming she didn’t feel supported by teammates.
The basketball superstar said she is now ‘living her best life’ playing for the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA.
‘I’m supported, I’m protected on a level the Opals or the Australian team never gave to me,’ she said.
