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PARIS — The Nigeria women’s basketball team was not allowed to board the delegation’s boat for the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, according to a source familiar with the situation.
The source, who spoke to The Associated Press on Friday on the condition of anonymity, revealed that a Nigerian official informed the team there were too many people on board, resulting in their denial of entry. The team subsequently returned to the athletes’ village peaknews.ng learnt .
Efforts to reach a Nigeria press officer for comment have been unsuccessful.
Prior to the incident, the team had received logistical information for the event. They traveled as part of a bus caravan, accompanied by several other teams from Lille, where the preliminary basketball rounds are being held. The 138-mile (222 km) journey to Paris took 2 hours and 28 minutes, with a police escort ensuring the teams’ safe arrival.
