Manu Ginobili adds to Argentina woes
Manu Ginobili has not been given permission to join the Argentine contingent at this year’s World Cup after the San Antonio Spurs said he could not play the tournament. The guard injured his leg with a stress fracture during San Antonio’s Finals series against the Miami Heat as the Spurs marched to the NBA title at the back end of last season.
Ginobili has been sending positive messages about the state of the injury, indicating that the fracture did not hurt and hinting that he would represent Argentina at the World Cup. The Spurs however have clearly seen things differently and have quickly ended Ginobili’s hopes and with them the growing feeling in Argentina that their star man would be fit.
The departure of Manu Ginobili comes amid a crisis in Argentine Basketball, with team captain (and the country’s other hoops poster boy) Luis Scola threatening to boycott the tournament. He is making a stand against corruption in the Confederación Argentina de Basquetbol (CABB) and the mismanagement of funds within the organization.
Of course, mishandling of economy and corruption in sport are hardly new things in Argentina, but Scola has urged changes to be made or risk losing FIBA licensing. Ginobili tweeted his support for Scola, as have other key figures in the team and Argentine sport in general. The controversy has caused a sizeable storm in the country and with Manu Ginobili now out of the World Cup, the Argentine camp is approaching crisis point.