Two Mali Basketball Players Filmed Fighting Each Other After Loss at Women's World Cup

Mar. 15, 2025

Tensions were high between two Mali basketball players after their loss at the Women’s World Cup Monday.

Teammates Salimatou Kourouma and Kamite Elisabeth Dabou got into a violent altercation following their team’s 81-68 loss to Serbia at the 2022 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Sydney, Australia, theNew York Postreported.

In a now-viralvideothe pair were filmed throwing punches at each other while a reporter interviews Serbian player Sasa Cado. Other Malian players then rush to the situation to break up the fight before it escalates further.

On Tuesday, the International Basketball Federation issued astatementabout the incident.

“FIBA acknowledged today that there was an altercation between Mali players in the mixed zone following the Group B game Serbia-Mali at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022,” the federation wrote.

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Mali qualified for this year’s World Cup (their second ever) as a late replacement for Nigeria, who pulled out from the tournament citing administrative difficulties,The Guardianreported.

source: people.com