>
Basketball star reveals why she shocked the sport by holding a FIST FIGHT with her teammate during the team’s World Cup press conference in Sydney
- Salimatou Kourouma hit Kamite Elisabeth Dabou in the head after loss
- Elisabeth was seen trying to get her teammate into a blockade during a press conference
- Kourouma has made clear what caused the amazing physical collision
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
A basketball star who sent shockwaves through the sport when she was filmed punching her teammate in wild scenes at the Women’s World Cup has attributed their clash to frustrations that boiled over after the team’s recent string of losses.
The first fight between Malian basketball players Salimatou Kourouma and Kamite Elisabeth Dabou broke out during a post-match press conference following the African country’s 81-68 loss to Serbia on Monday, making headlines around the world.
Kourouma threw a flurry of punches at Dabou, who tried to wrestle her teammate and get her into a twitch as she appeared to defend herself.
Salimatou Kourouma (face obscured) hit Kamite Elisabeth (left, in green shorts) on the head while another player gave an interview during a press conference on Monday
Kourouma (pictured) blames fistfight on frustrations that boiled over after Mali lost all five of their World Cup group matches
Now Kourouma has become clear on what sparked the astonishing display as the sport’s world governing body FIBA says the team could be punished for their brawl if it completes an investigation.
“We were frustrated with the loss, so we are here to apologize to the basketball world, FIBA [and] the World Cup,’ she said on behalf of herself and Dabou.
Mali have not won any of their five group stage matches at the tournament, going to Japan, Australia and France before defeat at the hands of the Serbs.
The team’s coach, Joaquin Brizuela Carrion, has no intention of dropping either player, despite the controversy.
“These were two of our key players, so while it was a sad incident, it was more about them wanting to play basketball,” he said.
“We wanted to play at a higher level and they showed that today.”
Kamite Elisabeth Dabou (pictured, center during the loss to Serbia) appeared to defend herself when she got Kourouma into a blockade during their clash
Mali’s coach, Joaquin Brizuela Carrion, said he has no intention of dropping Kourouma (pictured) or Dabou as a result of their fight
The governing body released the following statement about the fight: “Following the incident, FIBA has opened an investigation. Once the investigation is completed, FIBA will decide on any disciplinary action.”
After the clash made headlines, Malian star player Mahamadou Kante, who was good enough to compete in the NBA draft, took to Instagram to defend the pair.
“I see some people who allow themselves to say something about what happened after the game against Serbia. I just want to say that it is normal for there to be misunderstandings in a family because this group is a family to me,” he wrote.
Prominent former women’s player Diana Gandega, who competed for Mali in the 2008 Olympics, also warded off criticism of the punch-up.
In a series of lengthy posts on Instagram, Gandega bizarrely criticized the media for covering the fight, but not the plight of the athletes, who she claims had to sleep in airports before the tournament.