Liz Cambage, the former WNBA and Australian national team star, has signaled that she intends to switch her allegiance to Nigeria.
Clouding her potential switch, however, is the fact she is alleged to have made racist remarks toward Nigerian players during practice matches in the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Cambage on Monday addressed those allegations with Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks, denying she used such language and adding that she doesn't resort to racially charged insults.
Cambage ended up withdrawing from the Australian national team and did not compete in the Tokyo Games due to what she cited as "mental health concerns." An investigation was conducted by Basketball Australia, resulting in a formal reprimand — but no fine or suspension.
MORE: What happened to Liz Cambage?
Here's everything you need to know about the allegations against Cambage, as well her response:
What did Liz Cambage say?
According to a May 2022 report by Australian newspaper The Sunday Telegraph, Cambage is alleged to have referred to Nigerian players as "monkeys," telling them to "go back to your third-world country."
Cambage later released a statement via Instagram to deny the details of the report:
"The incident that took place in the pre-Olympic scrimmage with the Nigerian national team was handled privately almost a year ago," Cambage, wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post. "I am very disappointed and hurt by the events and accusations that have unfolded in the Australian media. The account of what took place is inaccurate and misleading. I did not use the racial slur toward the Nigerian team that has been circulating."
Rooks on Monday asked Cambage about her version of the story, and why it's so different from everyone else who was around at the scene.
"A lot of girls don't like me," Cambage said. "I don't really lean towards racially backed insults. That's not how I go. I'm very pro-Black. I did not say this to these girls."
Cambage clarified that she did say, "We should all go back to our countries, we should all just go home." But she was referencing the fact that she did not want to be at the Tokyo Olympics amid the COVID-19 pandemic, that she had anxiety entering the bubble and was dissatisfied with her experience.
Cambage also claimed she has been in "cahoots" with the Nigerian national team, whom she says asked her to play for them. She added the two are working on a filing to leave Australia so she can play for them instead.
"We're filing for me to leave the Australian national team so I can represent Nigeria," Cambage told Rooks. "I've been in cahoots. I've been talking with them since all of this happened. This is what I mean. People don't know the truth."
What did the Nigerian players say in response?
Promise Amukamara, a player on the Nigerian national team, took to X — the social media platform formerly known as Twitter — to debunk Cambage's claims.
Promise Amukamara who plays for Nigeria speaks after the Liz Cambage interview: #WNBA pic.twitter.com/dAWhPgTsWE
— Women’s Hoopz (@WBBWorldWide) August 7, 2023
She said, "The only person (Cambage) has been in 'cahoots' with was the former coach of the national team," who is no longer the coach. She also said everything Cambage said was false, that she did indeed call them "monkeys" and told them "to go back to their country."
"Literally everyone from both teams have the same story but her, so y'all do the math," Amukamara said.
Cambage responds to leaked footage
On Tuesday, footage emerged from the heated scrimmage between Australia and Nigeria, (begins 4:50 mark) which shows Cambage striking a Nigeria player in the face, which set off the altercation.
For those who were hypocritically asking that Liz Cambage should be forgiven and even consider her flying the green and white flag; I hope you can see how her gutter behaviour irritated even her teammates? Again, miss me with the fake logical cap!!pic.twitter.com/lVZSGeuFRE
— Joy Ojeabulu (@Euphoria_Sticks) August 8, 2023
Following the leaked footage circulating, Cambage took to Twitter to reiterate that she did not use a racial slur towards her opponents. She also went on to clarify that while she had not officially joined the Nigeria national team, she had expressed interest in joining D'Tigress and had discussed the "necessary steps to become eligible" to complete the switch.
Where is Liz Cambage now?
Cambage most recently played for the Maccabi Bnot Ashdod in Israel. She signed with them on March 3, 2023, joining the Israli Female Basketball Premier League.
This is her first time playing for a Eurasian team, after previously making appearances on teams in the U.S., China and, of course, Australia.