Sports body still probing assault facts

BASKETBALL New Zealand will release a statement today after investigating an allegation that a coach assaulted a player at a recent Junior Tall Blacks camp.

The incident is alleged to have happened at the Auckland YMCA on March 3, where the 15-strong squad was training.

Sources have told The Dominion Post that it is alleged a player was put in a choke hold by one of the three coaches who were there at the time.

Basketball NZ’S board – Karen Poutasi, Burton Shipley, Robyn Clements, John Gallaher, Andrew Harrison, Chris Patterson and Greg Williamson – discussed the matter at a regular meeting yesterday. ‘‘There was no verdict to be reached, there was just a discussion of the facts as we know them,’’ interim Basketball NZ chief executive Murray Strong said last night.

‘‘We’re going to undertake a little bit more work overnight and we’ll be releasing a statement [today]. We’re still working through varying accounts of things.’’

The Junior Tall Blacks have been preparing for the Oceania under-19 championships from September 20-22 and head coach Deslea Wrathall said she was absent at the time of the alleged incident.

On Wednesday, Strong said Basketball NZ was taking the issue seriously.

‘‘Any form of assault is unacceptable, whether it’s in a sporting context or any context,’’ he said.