Basketball Australia will not appeal the sanctions handed down by Fiba’s disciplinary panel following the brawl which marred the Boomers’ game in the Philippines earlier this month.
Three Australian players – Daniel Kickert, Thon Maker and Chris Goulding – were hit with suspensions by Fiba for their part in the ugly melee involving players, officials and fans during the World Cup qualifier in Bulacan.
The Australian team was also hit with a $135,000 fine but Basketball Australia chief executive officer Anthony Moore said they would not pursue a case through the appeal process.
“Our legal advice examined a range of appeal options,” Moore said. “However, the chances of success under the Fiba appeal process are very low so we have decided to pursue these matters with Fiba independent of the appeal process.
“We have agreed to treat this unfortunate incident as a learning opportunity for the entire organisation and we are committed to improving the practices for all of our 22 national teams as we travel throughout the world playing in Fiba basketball tournaments,” Moore added.
The Boomers’ next World Cup qualifying games are against Qatar and Kazakhstan in September.
