Sparks center Elizabeth Cambage denied allegations that she used a racial slur during a physical skirmish during a closed-door scrimmage between her Australian team and Nigeria before the Olympics last year, writing on Instagram on Sunday night: “I did not use the racial slur towards the Nigerian team that has been circulating.”

Cambage, whose father is Nigerian, was responding to reaction to a report by The Daily Telegraph, a newspaper in Sydney, that quoted several unnamed sources, including two Nigerian players who said Cambage referred to them as “monkeys.”

That was part of what the report describes as a “verbal barrage” from Cambage after she allegedly was “king hit” (blindsided) with a punch to her head. Cambage had previously become “entangled” with a Nigerian player in that scrimmage at UNLV, per the report, and slapped the player, who then purportedly surprised Cambage with a closed-fist punch as she was heading to the bench after being subbed out.

“She did say ‘control your monkeys’ or something like that,” an unnamed Nigerian player told The Daily Telegraph. “The stuff she was saying was ridiculous.”

The article quoted another unnamed Nigerian player who confirmed that account and a third player who said she hadn’t heard Cambage use the slur, but that “she definitely said, ‘Go back to your third-world country.’”

In response to the accusations, Cambage posted a 229-word response on Instagram with her side the story:

“The incident that took place during the pre-Olympic scrimmage with the Nigerian team was handled privately, almost a year ago,” Cambage wrote. “I am very disappointed and hurt by the events and accusations that have unfolded in the Australian media. The recount of what took place is inaccurate and misleading.”

Cambage withdrew from the Olympics on July 15, 2021, citing mental health concerns associated with returning to a bubble-type atmosphere to compete. That news came shortly after reports that the Opals had discussed her future with the team after the incident during the scrimmage against Nigeria – a team that included Erica Ogwumike, the younger sister of Cambage’s current Sparks teammates, Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike.

The Ogwumike sisters have dual U.S. and Nigerian citizenship; their parents, Peter and Ify, were born in Nigeria before immigrating to the United States, where their daughters were born.

After the Sparks’ 85-83 victory in Minnesota on Sunday, Nneka Ogwumike said on Zoom they’d moved past the situation.

“Whatever agenda is happening with it, resurfacing, that’s other people’s business,” Ogwumike said. “Frankly, we talked about it before she came to the team (this season). People have their own accounts of what happened, but we addressed it and we talked about it and we talked about how important it is for us to be together, be transparent and also empower giving people second chances, you know?

“As a team, we talked about it and we addressed it and that’s really what it is. Anything else is really not anyone else’s business unless Liz comes out and says what she wants to say.”

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A few hours later, Cambage’s written account continued: “After I unintentionally fouled a Nigerian player on court I was then physically assaulted by this player on the sideline of my bench. I was hit in the face and pushed to the ground but I walked away. Prior to the game I asked to sit out because I was concerned about my mental and physical health, which I have addressed publicly.

“We did not have professional referees to manage and prioritise both teams’ safety during this highly physical scrimmage.”

According to the report, Cambage “fronted” the Nigerian team dinner the next night to “apologize for her actions,” and one of the Nigerian players told the newspaper that Cambage and the player with whom she’d had the physical altercation hugged. An unnamed Australian player also noted that Cambage apologized to her own teammates.

On Sunday, Cambage’s message: “This is not an excuse or justification to the events that unfolded or my actions, however, I feel that a full picture of the environment that led to this outcome must be shared.

“I have taken responsibility and accountability for my involvement in what occurred. I genuinely apologised to the Nigerian team and I once again, am sorry that these events are being rehashed.

“I truly hope that I can move forward from this incident and apply actionable effort to be my best self.”