Angola national team coach Will Voigt. Photo from Fiba.basketball
MANILA, Philippines—It looks like wasn’t a good first day in Foshan for Angola with a day away from the 2019 Fiba Basketball World Cup.
In a tweet, Angola head coach Will Voigt voiced his the displeasure about the team’s experience in their first 24 hours in the host city.
Voigt said they were denied to use some of the facilities and that the Italian national basketball team did not receive basketballs to practice with.
“First 24 hours in Foshan and so far @BasketItalyit was refused to given basketballs to practice with,” tweeted Voigt. “We were refused a conference room, there is no Internet working, and they are charging everyone to wash practice gear and uniforms.”
“You can do better China and @Fiba… #FIBAWC.”
First 24 hours in Foshan and so far @BasketItalyit was refused to be given basketballs to practice with, we were refused a conference room, there is no internet working and they are charging everyone to wash practice gear and uniforms. You can do better China & @FIBA… #FIBAWC
— Will Voigt (@CoachWillVoigt) August 29, 2019
Funny that you suddenly create an account immediately after my post; ask one of our players for his video and then post it as if you know anything. @KSSrbije and @Italbasket are posting the same way I am. They bought SIM cards. A luxury African Federations can’t afford.
— Will Voigt (@CoachWillVoigt) August 29, 2019
Angola, the no.39 team in the world, plays in the first game of Group D against world no.4 Serbia on Saturday at 3:30 pm at Foshan International Sports and Cultural Arena while Italy faces the Philippines at 7:30 pm.
Media day. Amazing job by @FIBA media team! See, I’m not always negative… 😉 #FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/UOLGMUqVHJ
— Will Voigt (@CoachWillVoigt) August 30, 2019
This wasn’t the first time that a national team had experienced difficulties in China.
In 2015, the Philippines arrived late to its finals game against the Chinese in the Fiba Asia Championship in Changsha due to technical failures as the team bus “failed to charge.”
The Filipinos, though, had problem-free first training Thursday night in Foshan.