- Basketball fans quick to jump on Opals loss
- Liz Cambage suspended over alleged racist insults
- She was trending on X when Opals lost to Nigeria
Sports fans were quick to show they have neither forgotten nor forgiven former Australian basketball star Liz Cambage for her alleged racist comments towards Nigerian opponents after the African nation’s surprise win over the Opals.
Australia’s women’s Olympic Games got off to a sluggish start in Paris after the third-placed Opals lost 75-62 to Nigeria in their opening pool match on Monday.
Many on X were quick to attack Cambage, who allegedly called Nigerian players “monkeys” during a heated friendly match in 2021, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
Cambage, 32, has been cut from the Australian squad but continues to play professional basketball. This year he completed a lucrative three-month stint playing for the Chinese women’s team Sichuan Yuanda, based in Chengdu.
Cambage was trending on X shortly after the loss, despite playing her last match for the Opals three years ago.
“It’s sweet revenge that Nigeria beat Australia in the WBB,” someone tweeted.
“Good for them, especially after everything they’ve been through and the shit Liz Cambage did.”
Another wrote: ‘Remember when Liz Cambage played for Australia she called a Nigerian player a monkey?’
Basketball fans were quick to attack former Australian basketball player Liz Cambage for her alleged racist remarks towards Nigerian players after the Opals lost their opening Olympic match to that country
“This is beautiful karma/retaliation for the Liz Cambage incident,” read another tweet.
“I know Liz Cambage is pissed off somewhere,” was another tweet that added salt to the wounds.
“I hope Liz Cambage is having a horrible day,” wrote another X user.
“AND F*** LIZ CAMBAGE” was another one of those blunt remarks.
Cambage sensationally walked out on the Opals ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, despite denying she had called Nigerian players “monkeys” or said “go back to your own third world country” in the heated friendly.
The strike had a destabilizing effect on the Opals, a team that had won a medal in the previous five consecutive Games but was eliminated in the quarterfinals in Tokyo.
Cambage also received a formal reprimand from Basketball Australia following an investigation.
In 2022, former Opals captain Jenna O’Hea said the allegations against Cambage were “100 percent” true.
Social media users were quick to criticise Cambage after Nigeria recorded a surprise victory against the Opals
Some X users were more direct in their comments directed at Cambage regarding her alleged remarks
Opals coach Sandy Brondello subsequently said Cambage would no longer be considered for selection because she is “too much work”.
“In the Opals program, you have to fit in with the culture that we had. Liz did some great things for the Opals, but it was too much hard work toward the end, and we don’t need that,” Brondello said.
“We only have a short time together and one player cannot dominate the team.”
Cambage responded to her suspension by accusing Opals coaches and players of making racist and “inappropriate” comments towards her. Cambage continued to deny making the racist comments attributed to her.
Team Nigeria’s Elizabeth Balogun and Adebola Adeyeye celebrate victory against the Opals in their opening match of the Olympic Games
The Opals’ opening loss on Monday Lille’s Pierre Mauroy stadium puts them in a dangerous situation to survive the group stage.
Despite starting the match strongly against the D’Tigresses, the Opals faded, especially in the second and final quarters.
Nigeria’s Ezinne Kalu took the lead and led her 12th-placed team to a convincing victory over the third-placed Australians.
Australia had 16 turnovers in the first half alone compared to eight for Nigeria
The Opals will play their next Group B match on Thursday against world number 5 Canada, followed by a clash with host nation France, the bronze medal winner in Tokyo, next Monday.
Australia must finish in the top two of their group to reach the quarter-finals.