Basketball star reveals why she had a fist fight with her teammate at World Cup in Sydney 

A basketball star who despatched shockwaves by means of the game when she was filmed throwing punches at her teammate in wild scenes at the Women’s World Cup has blamed their conflict on frustrations boiling over after the facet’s current run of losses. 

The fist fight between Mali basketballers Salimatou Kourouma and Kamite Elisabeth Dabou broke out throughout a post-match press convention after the African nation’s 81-68 loss to Serbia on Monday, making headlines world wide.

Kourouma was seen throwing a flurry of punches at Dabou, who tried to wrestle her teammate and get her in a headlock in as she seemed to be attempting to defend herself. 

Salimatou Kourouma (with face obscured) punched Kamite Elisabeth (left, in inexperienced shorts) in the pinnacle whereas one other participant gave an interview throughout a press convention on Monday

Kourouma (pictured) blamed the fist fight on frustrations boiling over after Mali misplaced all 5 of their group matches at the World Cup

Now Kourouma has come clear on what prompted the astonishing show as the game’s world governing physique FIBA says the crew might be punished for his or her brawl when it completes an investigation.

‘We have been annoyed due to the loss, so we’re right here to apologise to the world of basketball, FIBA [and] the World Cup,’ she stated on behalf of herself and Dabou.

Mali haven’t gained any of their 5 group-stage video games at the match, taking place to Japan, Australia and France earlier than the defeat at the arms of the Serbs.

The crew’s coach, Joaquin Brizuela Carrion, is just not planning on dropping both participant regardless of the controversy.

‘These have been two of our key gamers so regardless that it was a unhappy incident, it was extra about that they wished to play basketball,’ he stated. 

‘We wished to play at a greater stage, they usually did present that as we speak.’

Kamite Elisabeth Dabou (pictured, centre through the loss to Serbia) seemed to be attempting to defend herself when she bought Kourouma in a headlock throughout their conflict

Mali’s coach, Joaquin Brizuela Carrion, stated he would not plan on dropping both Kourouma (pictured) or Dabou as a results of their fight

The governing physique launched the next assertion on the fight: ‘Following the incident, FIBA has opened an investigation. Once the investigation is concluded, FIBA will resolve on any relevant disciplinary measures.’

After the conflict made headlines, star Malian males’s participant Mahamadou Kante, who was ok to enter the NBA draft, took to Instagram to defend the pair.

‘I see some individuals who permit themselves to say something about what occurred after the sport towards Serbia. I simply need to say that it’s regular that there are misunderstandings in a household as a result of this group for me is a household,’ he wrote.

Prominent former ladies’s participant Diana Gandega, who competed for Mali at the 2008 Olympics, additionally deflected criticism away from the punch-up.

In a sequence of prolonged posts on Instagram, Gandega bizarrely slammed the media for reporting on the fight, however not concerning the plight of the athletes, who she claims have been compelled to sleep in airports earlier than the match.