In a statement published on its official page, the Club Africain Board of Directors held the basketball federation’s office responsible for the current and future deterioration of the situation, pointing to the incidents, the communiqués, and the repeated refereeing errors that have undermined the credibility of the championship.
Here is the text of the communiqué:
The Club Africain Association informs that in recent days it has followed with grave concern the events surrounding the semifinal matches of the basketball championship, marked by incidents, communiqués, refereeing errors, and targeted and bespoke disciplinary decisions that directly affected the credibility of the competition.
In this regard, the Board of Directors adopted a policy of wisdom, restraint, and self-control, refusing to yield to provocations and to the systematic incitement conveyed through oriented communiqués, whose intentions were evident. It also chose not to challenge the decision of the Laws and Disputes Commission concerning the annulment of the result of the second semifinal played on March 7, 2026, for several reasons: firstly, the belief in the futility of an appeal before the federation’s federal office; secondly, the club’s commitments in an international competition scheduled for the next month; finally, complete trust in the ability of its players to confirm their deserved victory on the court.
The Club Africain recalls that it has sent official correspondence to the competent ministry as well as to the Tunisian Basketball Federation since March 9, 2026, in order to demand urgent and decisive decisions to guarantee the completion of the championship in a climate of neutrality and sporting spirit, aimed at strengthening the confidence of all parties. The club also sent, on March 17, 2026, emails to the Federation demanding discipline and primacy of the law in the face of immoral and provocative behaviors toward its supporters, duly documented, committed during the rematch on March 16, 2026 by one of the opposing team’s players. These démarches, however, remained unanswered.
Consequently, the Club Africain holds the Tunisian Basketball Federation fully responsible for the current situation prevailing in the halls and on the courts, due to its evident submission to pressures and interests of certain parties, the adoption of a policy of double standards, as well as the establishment of a climate of impunity and arrangements.
The club furthermore emphasizes that sports management requires firmness and courage in taking appropriate decisions, in order to guarantee equality before the law for all sports associations. Moving forward without resolving these issues would not serve the interests of national sport and would only lead to disappointment and failure.
Finally, the Club Africain announces, with regret and bitterness to its broad public, its serious intention to withdraw from the basketball championship, in light of the Tunisian Basketball Federation’s failure to ensure equal treatment among all teams and its persistent failure to provide the necessary means to prevent repeated refereeing errors, particularly in the aim of preserving the physical integrity of its players and coaching staff, and in defending the values and principles of the spirit of sport. »
