Namuwongo Blazers have requested the Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations (FUBA) to postpone Sport Six of the Nationwide Basketball League (NBL) Finals towards Metropolis Oilers till their protest over participant eligibility is resolved.
The Blazers made the request in a proper communication to FUBA following their 78-73 defeat to Metropolis Oilers in Sport 5 on Sunday, a end result that left the defending champions trailing 3-2 within the best-of-seven collection.
Metropolis Oilers want another victory to reclaim the NBL title, whereas Namuwongo should win Sport Six to power a decisive Sport Seven.
Nevertheless, the Blazers need the sport delayed as FUBA considers their criticism regarding six Metropolis Oilers gamers — Malual Dier, Germaine Roebuck Jr., Patrick Rembert, Isaac Athuai Akoal, Joel Lukoji Banza and Landry Ndikumana.
Namuwongo’s protest centres on the foreign-player restrict below Part 2.01(h) of the 2026 FUBA Competitors Guidelines and Laws, which allows an NBL membership to register and use a most of 4 international gamers on a sport day.
The Blazers argue that Malual needs to be categorised as a international participant and have requested FUBA to independently confirm his nationality and citizenship standing. They need the federation to look at his present and former passports, start and civil-registration data, citizenship paperwork, parentage data, Nationwide Identification Quantity and different related registration paperwork.
The membership has additionally requested FUBA to confirm the nationality, registration standing, licences, clearance letters and game-day eligibility of all six gamers named within the protest.
Namuwongo additional needs the federation to look at the official scoresheet, crew roster, participant licences and different competitors data to ascertain whether or not Metropolis Oilers exceeded the permitted foreign-player quota throughout Sport 5.
In its communication, the Blazers additionally requested FUBA to think about referring the matter to the Ministry of Inside Affairs or different competent authorities the place essential to confirm citizenship and the authenticity of paperwork.
The membership maintains that it adopted the prescribed process when lodging the protest. In response to the submission, the crew captain notified the crew chief inside quarter-hour of the ultimate whistle, signed the official scoresheet and submitted proof of cost of the required US$100 protest payment. The protest was subsequently filed throughout the 24-hour interval offered for below the rules.
Namuwongo have additionally requested FUBA to use the related sanctions if a breach is established, together with any penalties arising from the usage of an ineligible participant or exceeding the foreign-player restrict.
Extra importantly, the Blazers have requested that Sport Six be postponed till the eligibility dispute is decided.
They argue that continuing with the sport earlier than the protest is resolved may prejudice the membership and undermine the equity and integrity of the championship collection.
The request places FUBA in a troublesome place with Sport Six scheduled for 9pm tonight on the Lugogo Indoor Enviornment.
Metropolis Oilers are one win away from an eleventh NBL championship, whereas Namuwongo are combating to maintain their title defence alive.
FUBA is but to announce whether or not it’ll grant the postponement request or situation a ruling on the eligibility protest earlier than Sport Six.
The federation’s resolution may have important penalties for the rest of the finals, with the Blazers additionally asking for enough time to organize for Video games Six and Seven ought to the schedule be altered.
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