Kenya v South Sudan tie delayed as fans break gate

Fans on the court before the Fiba Afro-basketball pre-qualifiers match between Kenya and South Sudan at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium on January 18, 2020. PHOTO | PHILIP ONYANGO |

What you need to know:

  • This was after a mammoth crowd turned up for the match, which the winner will sail through to the next stage, and forced their way into the venue.

The kick-off of the much-anticipated Kenya versus South Sudan showdown in the last match of the Fiba Afro-basketball pre-qualifiers at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium has been delayed.

This was after a mammoth crowd turned up for the match, which the winner will sail through to the next stage, and forced their way into the venue.

Fans on the court before the Fiba Afro-basketball pre-qualifiers match between Kenya and South Sudan at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium on January 18, 2020. PHOTO | PHILIP ONYANGO |

By the time of going to press, Fiba and the Kenya Basketball Federation officials were holed up in a meeting to decide on the way forward with the mostly likely scenario being to call off the match.

KBF chairman Paul Otula had earlier ordered that the gates be locked after it was apparent that there was no more space to accommodate the droves of people who had made their way into the facility.

Fans on the court before the Fiba Afro-basketball pre-qualifiers match between Kenya and South Sudan at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium on January 18, 2020. PHOTO | PHILIP ONYANGO |

But the fans, dodged the security personnel and broke the rear gate allowing all and sundry to flock in filling every s[pace including the playing court against the Fiba rules. The rules require that fans do not access the perimeter wall of the playing court.

Both the Kenya Morans and the South Sudan teams had left the venue for their respective hotels.