Basketball: Players snubbing national team face one-year suspension

Players who refuse invitations to represent the national team risk facing a one-year suspension from all basketball activities, The warning was issued by local basketball governing body (FERWABA) following recent cases of players who declined national team call ups despite having no injuries, as Rwanda prepared for FIBA World Cup 2027 Qualifiers – Window 1 held in Tunisia in November. Rwanda at the time finished at the bottom of Group C without a single victory. The players in question are Ntore Habimana and his APR teammate William Robeyns, who both cited personal reasons behind their unavailability. This marks the second time Ntore has turned down a national team invitation, having also skipped the FIBA Afrobasket qualifiers in Senegal last year. During its General Assembly meeting on December 6, FERWABA resolved that, “Any player who refuses to accept an invitation to play for the national team, even if their club releases them, will be suspended from all basketball activities for a period of one year.” The federation’s executive committee also called on clubs to play an active role in encouraging their athletes to honor national team duties.

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Basketball: Players snubbing national team face one-year suspension