Liz Cambage issues surprising first message after quitting the Olympics

Absent Australian basketball star Liz Cambage has delivered her first public message since a controversial exit from the Tokyo Olympics.

Australian basketball star Liz Cambage sent her support to Nigeria.

Absent Australian basketball star Liz Cambage has sent a video pledging her support for the Nigerian women’s team at the Tokyo Olympics in a bizarre turn of events.

Just two weeks after withdrawing from the Games, and while under investigation by Basketball Australia over a physical and verbal altercation with the Nigerians in a Las Vegas scrimmage, Cambage was seen on the official account of the D’Tigress team.

@BasketballAus star, @ecambage wishes @DtigressNG 🏅 luck at the #Tokyo2020  Olympics.

Cambage is half Nigerian.

© @joijohnpic.twitter.com/ILhH2yUPeB

— 🟣Joi John (@JoiJohn) July 26, 2021

“To all my D’Tigress family, good luck at the Olympics,” Cambage said in a post hours before Nigeria played Team USA, and the same day the Opals were set to begin their campaign.

“Go get some hard metal. Let’s go.”

Cambage, whose father is Nigerian, walked away from the Opals, citing mental health issues.

“The circumstances surrounding the incident that occurred during the scrimmage between Nigeria and Australia involving Liz Cambage are currently under investigation for a breach of the integrity framework and code of conduct,” Basketball Australia said in a statement at the time of Cambage’s exit.

It made for a tumultuous Olympics preparation for the Opals, who are looking to get back on the podium after their disappointment at the Rio Games.

“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” Opals captain Jenna O’Hea said last week of the circumstances that created a national news story.

“I think it was surprising to everyone,” O’Hea added. “But we’ve got our 12 [players] here – Sara [Blicavs] came in.

“We’re just really excited to have 12 players here all aiming towards the same goal.”

Originally published as Liz Cambage issues surprising first message after quitting the Olympics