Ghana Basketball Federation President Alex Kukula has expressed disappointment that Spintex Knights’ historic run to the Elite 16 stage of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) has been overshadowed by the financial challenges that left the team stranded in Libya.
The Knights qualified from Division West Group B after an impressive campaign but were unable to leave Libya immediately due to an outstanding travel debt of $33,000.
Donations from individuals helped the club raise $3,000 to cover visa-on-arrival charges, while negotiations with its travel agent eventually cleared the way for the team to return to Ghana.
Speaking after meeting the team at the Accra International Airport on Monday, October 26, Kukula said he was disappointed that the focus had shifted from the team’s sporting achievement to its financial difficulties.
“For the first time, they’ve been through the preliminary stage without even losing a match and that shows their level.”
“For me, what has happened after (their qualification) has sort of dampened what they’ve achieved and I think we should stick to where they are going” Kukula said.
