The FCT Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has asked the Federal Government to urgently tender a public apology to the senior women national basketball team, D’Tigress.

FCT SWAN, in a communique issued shortly after its Congress on Thursday in Abuja, also asked government to compensate the team.

It said both the government and its agent, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, needed to do so because they have made the players to suffer losses.

”They were responsible for the team’s non-participation at the upcoming FIBA Women’s World Cup, through the two-year withdrawal of Nigeria from international basketball which was later overturned.”

The decision robbed the team of participation in the World Cup, which begins later this month, with Mali being drafted in to replace Nigeria and represent Africa.

The communique was signed by the Drafting Committee put in place for the Congress, comprising Niyi Busari! Samuel Ejegwa and Calister Enegele.

In the communique, FCT SWAN also lauded the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development on Nigeria’s participation in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

It said the support and encouragement given to athletes who represented Nigeria at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games helped record great successes.

“It was an outing which in the long run came to be rated as Nigeria’s best since the Games' inception,” FCT SWAN said.

It further congratulated the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Congress for not elongating the tenure of the present Executive Committee members.

“By setting up the apparatus for elections to hold on Sept. 30, the NFF deserves commendation,” FCT SWAN stated.