The Sierra Leone Basketball Federation revealed on its official Instagram page on August 25, 2025, that the country’s U-16 basketball team may miss the AfroBasket 2025 tournament in Kigali despite making history as one of only 12 nations out of 54 to qualify.
According to the statement, the team needs $35,000 to fund the trip but has raised only a fraction of that amount. Support from the National Olympic Committee (NOC), some individuals, and kind donors has helped, yet the team remains far from its target.
“We’ve done everything possible to cut costs. We reduced the number of players and even trimmed our coaching staff, but it’s still not enough,” the statement read.
It added that missing the tournament would be a major setback for the young athletes:
“We worked so hard to qualify. Playing in Kigali would mean everything to us and to Sierra Leone.”
The post also called for urgent support through a GoFundMe campaign, appealing to Sierra Leoneans, basketball lovers, and friends of sports everywhere.
“This is more than basketball,” the statement continued. “It’s about giving these kids a chance to represent our country and inspire others. We don’t want this opportunity to disappear just because of money.”
Donations can be made through the team’s official fundraising channels. For these young stars, every contribution could mean the difference between staying home and making history in Kigali.
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