Meanwhile, In Brazil....

The drama about Iziane Castro Marques returning to the Brazilian women's basketball team continues to play itself out. When last we wrote about the topic, the head of women's basketball in Brazil - Hortência Marcari - discussed coming to Atlanta at the end of the season to talk to Izi personally about returning to the team. However, coach Paulo Bassul has something to say about that.

"Unlike "The Queen" (the nickname for Marcari, who was one of Brazil's greatest women's basketball players), which plans to go to the United States convince Iziane to return to the national team, Paula believes that the player in the Atlanta Dream is not essential for the Brazilian team.

""The Hortência who played a thousand times more than the Iziane never had an attitude like that. The worst is that it (Iziane) did not recognize the error. Is to apologize and Iziane never had that attitude. Now, they will fill the ball of her? "asked Paula, Iziane see that as a negative example for other players.

"(Iziane convene again) and give some privileges that can bring complications. Perhaps the Iziane not a good example for the players. In 20 years defending the Brazilian team, we should never refuse to come into court."

In a game against Belarus in the pre-Olympic tournament, coach Paulo Bassul asked Izi to come off the bench late in the game. Iziane had been sitting there for several quarters, and she flat out refused. Bassul threw her off the team and it's been controversy ever since.

(From Esportiva.net via the Painel do Basquete Feminino blog.)