Details emerge in Olympic probe into Liz Cambage's conduct
Basketball Australia has confirmed Opals star Liz Cambage is under investigation for 'a breach of the integrity framework and code of conduct' following her withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics.
Cambage announced she would not play in Tokyo over mental health concerns, primarily revolving around being confined to the 'bubble' for the duration of competition.
An investigation into a reported physical and verbal altercation involving Cambage during a closed doors practice match against Nigeria just over a week prior to the Games was announced prior to her decision not to play.
On Monday more detail, while still quite limited, was provided about the investigation by Basketball Australia.
In a media release, the organising body confirmed the nature of the investigation into Cambage.
"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," the statement read.
"As Liz has withdrawn from the Olympic Games due to mental health reasons we will not make any comments on the status of the investigation until the matter is concluded."
Cambage, a WNBA All-Star for the Las Vegas Aces, will be a significant loss for the Opals as they look to return to the medals in Tokyo after finishing fourth at the previous Rio Olympics.
The outspoken star, in addition to the incident against Nigeria, had reportedly gotten teammates offside by breaking the team's bubble - an allegation she flatly denied in a later post to social media.
Liz Cambage rejects Olympics allegations in social media video
Cambage took to social media in the days after the decision to withdraw from the Games to emphatically deny some of the suggestions about her conduct.
She denied ever leaving the team hotel other than to attend the WNBA All-Star game, which had been cleared by the team, and added that everything that happened during the closed scrimmage was on film.
“I’m pretty annoyed at all the fake news and the lies I’m seeing floating around in news articles and being shown and being asked about," she said.
“I just want to say this decision was coming and I’m happy I finally made it on my own terms. It’s sad that news got leaked yesterday that I didn’t even know about.
“Yeah, things got heated in the Nigeria game. There was a physical altercation and there were words exchanged but I’m hearing things that aren’t true at all, flying around from people in Australia and America which is crazy.
“Everything that happened and everything that was said is on film. I know what happened and I do not appreciate the lies and people constantly trying to tear me down.
“But hey, I’ve been trapped in this room, with no view, with nothing, for a week. Of course I’m going to lose my mind in here, are you serious?"
Cambage returned to the WNBA for the 2021 season after opting not to play in the pandemic-affected 2020 competition.
BA said it would not comment on the investigation until it is over, given Cambage's withdrawal from the Games team due to mental health reasons.
BA's integrity division will run the investigation.
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