‘Blackface’ photo: Basketball star Liz Cambage fires back at teammate Alice Kunek for make-up

THE Boomers say they will review the way they educate their WNBL players on sensitive social issues amid backlash over Alice Kunek’s “blackface” at post-season celebrations.

Alice Kunek reposted this image.

THE Boomers say they will review the way they educate their WNBL players on sensitive social issues amid backlash over Alice Kunek’s “blackface” at post-season celebrations.

Kunek was slammed by fellow national squad member Liz Cambage on social media for featuring in a photograph with her face painted brown, apparently dressed up as rapper Kanye West.

A spokesman for Kunek confirmed she had left Cambage a voicemail message this morning.

“She has tried to reach out to Liz this morning by phone to try to resolve the issue and have a conversation,” he said this morning.

A Boomers’ representative said they were completely satisfied Kunek didn’t mean any malice in dressing up as her favourite singer and did not think any offence would be taken by her appearance.

General manager Justin Nelson said both she and the club were apologetic for the hurt it caused Cambage and that all steps were being made to advise her that it was an “error in judgement”.

“The club understands the reaction to the photo and is working with Alice and Basketball Australia to ensure that the general public is aware of Alice’s sincere remorse,” he said in a statement today.

“We have personally spoken with Alice and she is understandably very upset, but she will learn from the incident and be a wiser person for it.”

Meanwhile with the Rio Olympics just months away, the Australian women’s basketball team were imploding with a major blow-up between the two players.

Cambage was yesterday outraged by a social media post from Kunek in which she was sporting “blackface” makeup.

“I’m am (sic) so shocked and disturbed to see this behaviour from someone I’m meant to call a ‘teammate’,” Cambage, whose father is Nigerian, said. “Blackface is disgusting, I honestly have no words. People wonder why I have issues with some @BasketballAus teammates, I’ve been dealing with these behaviour since we were kids.”

Kunek posed for the photograph alongside Deakin Melbourne Boomers teammate Tess Madgen at the side’s end-of-season Silly Sunday celebrations.

When called out on the inappropriate image, Kunek quickly deleted the photograph before replacing it with an apology and new picture minus the brown face paint.

“Sorry to all my followers who were offended by my past post. It was never my intention to offend anyone at all,” the 25-year-old said.

Liz Cambage of Australia trains during the Australian Olympic Games team announcement

The basket brawl comes as the Opals prepare to come together as a group in April for a series of training camps and games in the lead-up to the Rio Olympics.

Opals coach Brendan Joyce last night said Kunek was devastated by the incident and that the national team would be reviewing its social media policies ahead of the Olympics.

“It’s disappointing but it’s a lesson for Alice as much as it's a lesson for everybody else,” Joyce said.

“When we have camps we talk about developing our unity and our team chemistry and I’ve just spoken to Alice about getting up in front of the team and talking about this.

“When I spoke to Alive she started bawling and crying. She’s devastated. Anyone who knows Alice knows she’s not a racist. She’s made a mistake and she’s taking responsibility for that mistake and that’s what she will state.

“At the camp we will bring in a facilitator to assist us with challenges for the Olympics and I think one of the big challenges is social media.”

Alice Kunek reposted this image.

Liz Cambage and Alice Kunek

Basketball Australia boss Anthony Moore said the final Opals team for the Olympics was still to be selected.

“We’ve got a series of camps between now and the final team selection in July,” he said. “It is really up to the coaches in terms of what that squad size is,” he said.

Cambage, 24, who has been in Shanghai since October playing in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association, was left out of the Australian team’s Olympic qualifying squad last year after missing a mandatory training session to attend the Splendour In The Grass music festival.

Her manager Mitch Catlin said he intended to discuss the incident further with Basketball Australia, saying: “Liz is competing in finals in Beijing and is naturally deeply upset.”

The Boomers said they will review the processes surrounding education to players on social issues.

Liz Cambage of Australia