FIBA World Cup: Liz Cambage hits back at reports she was excluded from the Opals squad

Liz Cambage has hit back at false reports surrounding her absence from the Opals’ World Cup squad, making it clear it was her call not to be considered.

Liz Cambage has fired back at reports she is to be “left out” of the Opals’ squad for a home World Cup, saying it was her call not to be considered for the team.

Reports emerged earlier this weekend that Cambage would not be among those announced in the Australian women’s basketball squad on Monday, suggesting the move was a “big call” from Basketball Australia (BA).

Sydney will host the FIBA World Cup from September 22-October 1 next year - the first time in almost 30 years that Australia has hosted the tournament - and the Opals are looking to make a splash in the biggest event in the sport outside the Olympics.

Liz Cambage with her Opals teammates. Picture: IG

BA’s decision to issue Cambage a formal reprimand, rather than a suspension, last month for her part in an altercation during a pre-Olympic scrimmage against Nigeria had opened the way for Cambage to remain a part of the World Cup campaign.

But the 30-year-old took to social media on Sunday to declare she had made the decision not to seek selection.

Cambage included a portion of correspondence from the national body “reaching out to you respectfully to determine whether you want to be considered as a squad member of not for World Cup 2022” in a tweet on Sunday in response to a story in The Age that she was to be excluded from the squad announced Monday.

“Over looked and left off what? that ‘bigcall’ (sic) was my call buddy”, Cambage tweeted in response to The Age story.

over looked and left off what? that “bigcall” was my call buddy https://t.co/jXPQLC1Hj9pic.twitter.com/KzxafVpG1L

— Elizabeth Cambage (@ecambage) December 4, 2021

The WNBA star is a matchwinner but also a polarising figure in the sport.

Following the Nigeria incident, Cambage withdrew from the Australian Olympic team, citing mental health issues including panic attacks, with the Opals bowing out at the quarter-final stage in her absence.

The incident against Nigeria and other behavioural issues have reportedly frustrated Opals teammates for some time, although Cambage is taking ownership of the World Cup decision, seemingly uninterested at rejoining the team, for now at least.

It leaves a question mark over her representative future though, including participation in another Olympic campaign in Paris in 2024, or any other competition with the Opals.

The World Cup will be held in Australia for just the second time next year, with the Opals looking to reach the final again after going down to the US in the decider in Spain in 2018, with Cambage contributing seven points and a match-high 14 rebounds and five blocks.

Originally published as FIBA World Cup: Liz Cambage hits back at reports she was excluded from the Opals squad