Basketball great Andrew Gaze has labelled the investigation into Australia’s controversial World Cup loss to Angola a waste of time, but believes if the Boomers are guilty of tanking, “people should be fired”.
A day after a surprise defeat to Turkey knocked them out of the tournament in Spain, Australia learned they could face disciplinary action from the sport’s world governing body FIBA over the manner of their loss to Angola.
The Boomers rested several key players – including star centre Aron Baynes and sharp-shooting veteran Joe Ingles – and let a 15-point lead slip against Africa’s No.1 nation in their final group game in Gran Canaria.
The 91-83 loss meant Australia could not face the all-conquering USA team until the semi-finals but Boomers head coach Andrej Lemanis rejected suggestions they lost on purpose.
It proved irrelevant after a 65-64 loss to Turkey in the Boomers’ sudden-death round of 16 game on Sunday, but Basketball Australia must now formally defend the performance against Angola or face possible sanctions such as a fine.
“The on-court behaviour displayed by Australia in that game generated huge disappointment by basketball fans and experts,” FIBA said in a statement on Monday.
“It is widely suspected that Australia lost that game in order to avoid having to face the reigning world champions USA until the semi-finals.
“Basketball Australia has an opportunity to state its case before FIBA decides whether and to what extent disciplinary sanctions shall be imposed.”
Slovenian NBA star Goran Dragic was among the fiercest critics of Australia’s performance, taking to Twitter after the match to urge FIBA to take action.
“Basketball is a beautiful sport, there is no room for fixing the game like today Australia vs Angola!! @FIBA should do something about that!” he posted.
But Gaze, who sits on the Basketball Australia board, strongly defended the Boomers’ strategy and on Tuesday took aim at FIBA and their decision to investigate.
“It is (a waste of time),” Gaze said on SEN radio.
“It’s not dealing with the facts.
“I will be gutted and there should be people fired if they intentionally tanked. I stand by that.
“But I see this as player management, not as tanking.
“And now that we’ve lost, everyone’s wants to go `ah, the karma bus hit you’.
“If they had won that game against Turkey, we wouldn’t even be talking about this.”
Gaze acknowledged that Australia went into the Angola match unconcerned about losing.
“I’ll put my hand up and say that – they were not concerned about the result,” he said.
“The game means nothing. So why don’t you player manage?
“But those players that were playing, were absolutely – in my judgement – out there to win. No doubt about that.”
Injured Boomer Andrew Bogut agreed with Gaze after earlier questioning FIBA’s consistency.
“Well said Gazey, very Well said regarding FIFA…i mean FIBA,” he wrote on Twitter.
“So u can naturalize a plyer who has nver stepped foot in a country, but you cant rest players in a game 2 better a draw 4 youself? Ok @fiba.
“Love it or hate it I have seen this and much more occur many times @fiba tournaments I have played in since 2002 (incl. Juniors).”
Basketball Australia was expected to issue a statement on the issue on Tuesday afternoon.
Riccardo
Guest
This is such a joke. Of course they tanked it. It's not the first time an Australian (or Kiwi team for that matter) has employed this tactic. And that's the point; it's tactical. Move on. Good grief...
Johnno
Guest
I don't know if all fans care about cheating. Do the French fans care about Thierry Henry's handball vs Ireland, did Pakistan cricket fans care about cheating local umpires in the 1980's, who says all fans care if there team cheats to win Ian? Many fans just want the win. And woud be more than happy if there team cheated there way to victory. Just ask Maradonna and Argentina hand of god goal, didn't see to many Argie fans crying for spilt milk for the English Ian. I don't think Indian or Pakistan cricket fans care if when there playing each other, there bowlers tamper with the ball and get away with it, and get dodgy LBW decisions. They just want the win,and stuff purity for many fans is the attitude Ian. Just winning is the only thing that counts for many fans. I never hear AB'S fans or Collingwood fans Ian complain about getting the rub of the green.
Shaun Mancini
Roar Pro
No matter how much it looks like they tanked and that it's impossible to play that bad against Angola are they actually going to be able prove that Australia lost on purpose? Unless they find hard facts and recorded audio of the coaching staff telling them to throw the game can they really punish Australia just for not beating Angola? I was reading that FIBA are not so worried about Australia resting players it's more so were they using in-game tactics to lose. See i find that very hard to prove. Maybe we actually just have very poor coaching staff?
Bll
Guest
As well as me, as I put $50 on that game for Aus to win!!!!!!
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Deliberately trying to lose a game is cheating the fans, the players, the advertisers and everyone connected to the game and the code.
Plainsman
Guest
Turkey is a major basketball nation and to lose to them is not a surprise. Then again with 30 seconds to go and up by two we set a zone defence allowing Turkey to put up a 3 point shot - please explain that coaching disaster? I am dissappointed that we did not play to our best against Angola. Nathan Jawai should have been replaced at half time as he was spent. Also we did not adequately box out in the last quarter and handed over a shedfull of offensive rebounds to Angola. Success breeds success and by losing our momentum we may not have had the right mindset going into the Turkey game. This is pure speculation on my part and not based on any science or inside knowledge. If fans pay full price for a ticket to see a World Cup game they are entitled to see the best players giving their all. TV networks pay a motza for the rights and to not play at our best cheats them and their audience. Just because some one else does it does not make it right.
Clark
Guest
Well it came back to bite them since they ended up losing to Turkey. In terms of tanking, let them do it until Fiba stamps down on it and improve the tournament structure, if they want to play to not win a tournament then so be it
Johnno
Guest
B-Rock -What is wrong with tanking? If you have earned the right to tank, then that's your right. Blame the other teams who were not good enough to beat the Boomers in the group, then they wouldn't have been able to get away with tanking. . It's up to FIBA to change the rules, and have the round of 16 a lottery pot. 1st V 4th 2 V 3 a lottery, like they do in champions league soccer. At the rugby World cup, should teams be banned for playing weakened sides vs the AB'S in the group rounds, to stay fresh for the other teams.
B-Rock
Roar Guru
What a shock that a BA board member doesn't think they tanked. Anyone who has played basketball at a decent level and is unbiased would agree that the players on the court wanted to lose that game in the 4th quarter. Heads should roll - Ljemanis first.
Johnno
Guest
nos agreed. And anyway I have no direct problem with tanking if it's in the rules. There no such thing as breaking the spirit of the game crap. Rules are rules, if no rule has been broken it's fine. There is a clear difference between match fixing and tanking, 2 completely different things, and I'll add player rotation too. -FIBA set up the tournament they have to take the blame and responsibility. In soccer champions league, the round of 16 they do a lotto of pots 1 v 4, in a pot. FIBA did not. If Boomers won a few games, they have then earned the right to tank, blame the other teams who weren't good enough to beat them. Like if you top of the table, and your rests some players for a few games, or the All Blacks rotating. Or what about at the rugby world cup the other teams in the AB'S group sending out there reserve team, vs the AB'S getting smashed purposely with the reserve team, and haveing fresh players and only aiming for 2nd place, oh please what about the spirit of the game crap? And time wasting nos you right too, blame the refs and sports organistions, not the players and coaches they don't make the rules. It's like calling thierry Henry a cheat vs ireland, blame FIFA for no video technology, or incompetent refs who couldn't see a rule broken, handball.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Is fiba also going to investigate every time a player purposely misses a free throw to get the rebound and score? Grotesque. Good article although I disagree with the bit that says it was a surprise defeat. Turkey is a big basketball nation and I don't think Australia were "that" favorites. Sure the way they lost leaves regrets but overall most teams behind the USA and Spain are very close and Oz.is definitely not ahead of most euro nations at least on paper.
Will Lutwyche
Roar Rookie
The link below is a very interesting article in comparison, which looks at what Spain did during the 2012 Olympics against Brazil. In contrast to the Australian example - they had both Gasol brothers play less minutes than normal and when they were on the court they shot 16 - 21 from the field, only to sit the whole last quarter after being up by over 10 at three quarter time. They ended up losing the game and ironically ended up on a different side of the draw to the USA. http://thunderousintentions.com/2012/08/07/2012-olympic-basketball-was-it-wrong-for-spain-to-tank-vs-brazil/