Sports fans were quick to show they have not forgotten or forgiven former Australian basketball star Liz Cambage for her alleged racist remarks to Nigerian opponents after the African nation pulled off an upset against the Opals.
The Australian women’s Olympics campaign is off to a shaky start in Paris after the third ranked Opals slumped to a 75-62 shock loss against Nigeria in their opening pool match on Monday.
Many on X were quick to call out Cambage, who infamously allegedly called Nigerian players ‘monkey’ during a heated friendly match in 2021 in the lead-up to the Tokyo Games.
Cambage, 32, has been banned from Australian selection but still plays basketball professionally, having this year completed a lucrative three-month stint playing for the Chinese Sichuan Yuanda women’s team, based in Chengdu.
Cambage was trending on X shortly after the loss, despite playing her last game for the Opals three years ago.
‘Nigeria beating Australia in WBB is sweet revenge,’ one person tweeted.
‘Good for them especially after everything they’ve been through and the s**t that Liz Cambage pulled.’
Another wrote: ‘Y’all remember when Liz Cambage called a Nigerian player a monkey when playing for Australia?’
Basketball fans were quick to call out former Australian basketballer Liz Cambage over her alleged racist comments made at Nigerian players after the Opals lost their Olympics opener to that country
‘This is wonderful karma/payback from the Liz Cambage incident,’ another tweet read.
‘I know Liz Cambage is somewhere fuming,’ was another tweet rubbing salt into the wounds.
‘I hope Liz Cambage is having a terrible day,’ wrote another X user.
‘AND F*** LIZ CAMBAGE’ was another blunt comment.
Cambage sensationally walked away from the Opals in lead-up to the Tokyo Games in 2021, despite denying she called Nigerian players ‘monkey’ or said ‘go back to your own third world country’ in the heated warm-up game.
The walk-out had a destabilising effect on the Opals, a team that won a medal in the previous consecutive five Games but crashed out in the quarter finals in Tokyo.
Cambage was also hit with a formal reprimand by Basketball Australia following an investigations.
In 2022, former Opals skipper Jenna O’Hea said the accusations against Cambage were ‘100 per cent’ true.
Social media users were quick to call out Cambage after Nigeria pulled off a shock win against the Opals
Some X users were more blunt in their comments directed towards Cambage over her alleged comments
Subsequently, Opals coach Sandy Brondello said Cambage wouldn’t be considered for selection again because she is ‘too much hard 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 near the end, and we don’t need that,’ Brondello said .
‘We have a short time together and one player can’t overrule the team.’
Cambage responded to her ban from the squad by accusing Opals coaches and players of making racist and ‘inappropriate’ comments towards her while continuing to deny she made the racist statements attributed to her.
Elizabeth Balogun and Adebola Adeyeye of Team Nigeria celebrate victory against the Opals in their Olympics opening
Monday’s opening loss by the Opals at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille leaves them in a perilous situation to get beyond the group stages.
Despite starting the match strongly against the D’Tigresses, the Opals wilted, especially in the second and last quarters/
Nigeria’s Ezinne Kalu took control steering her 12th ranked team to a comprehensive win over the third ranked Aussies.
Australia had 16 turnovers to Nigeria’s eight in the first half alone
The Opals will face world number 5 Canada in their next Group B match on Thursday before a showdown against hosts France, the Tokyo bronze medal winners, next Monday.
Australia need to finish in the top two in their group to make the quarter-finals.
