Two Mali players apologised on Tuesday after they fought each other at the women’s basketball World Cup, with governing body FIBA opening an investigation into the incident.
The scuffle erupted in a media zone at the tournament in Sydney on Monday and was caught on camera while Serbia’s Sasa Cado was being interviewed. Serbia had defeated Mali 81-68.
A short video clip which has since been widely watched online showed Mali’s Salimatou Kourouma throwing at least three punches at teammate Kamite Elisabeth Dabou as a shocked Cado retreated.
Other Mali players shouting “stop” rushed over to intervene and break up the fight.
The two players fronted a press conference after their final tournament game, an 88-65 loss to Canada in which both featured, and apologised.