Kriol Star Players Allege Poor Housing Conditions in Cape Verde, Assault, Unpaid Wages After BAL Playoff Qualification

Kriol Star Players Allege Unpaid Wages, Poor Accommodation in Cape Verde and an Assault in Senegal

Amid celebrations of Kriol Star qualifying for the Basketball Africa League (BAL), serious accusations were levied at the Cape Verdean-based team, following there final game in the Sahara Conference.

Multiple international players claim they were misled, mistreated, and left in poor accommodations whilst in camp during their short-lived stint with the team. In what is shaping up to be a major controversy involving the club, one of the international players who suited up for the team in the Sahara Conference was allegedly physically attacked in the hotel in Senegal shortly after the club's last game by a teammate.

The alleged assault was, according to multiple sources, reported to local police and may have been related to escalating tensions between some of Kriol Star's foreign and domestic players. Tensions, which some have said manifested themselves in several particular jubilant celebrations following Kriol Stars' last game vs Petro de Luanda [See Below].

The incident is said to have taken place in the hallway at the team's designated hotel in Dakar, following the team's celebration of qualification to the 2025 Basketball Africa League Playoffs. According to witnesses, an allegedly intoxicated Kriol Star player struck one of his teammates and threw him against a wall, subsequently breaking a wall frame.

While Kriol Star recently featured in the Basketball Africa League's (BAL) Sahara Conference, the league itself is not under scrutiny and bears no responsibility for the current dispute. Sources have confirmed that the matter is strictly between the club, its players and the Basketball Africa League are not at fault.

Players allege a pattern of deception began almost immediately upon their arrival in Cape Verde. Several new signings reportedly arrived to find housing that lacked running water, electricity, Wi-Fi, and cable—conditions far from what they say was promised.

"It was horrendous," said one player. "It was absolutely horrendous. The power went out 2-3 times while I was there."

Financial issues further strained relations. Upon signing, one player said they were informed that 50% of their salaries would be paid upfront. Instead, they received only one-third of the agreed amount. The situation worsened when players were allegedly asked to accept reduced salaries just a week into training camp—another unexpected blow.

Then came the alleged retaliation. According to sources, a number of their players who raised concerns about payment delays and living standards were abruptly released from their contracts.

NB: The international players had not been paid at the time this news story was published.

Legal action could be on the horizon. Reports suggest that some of the affected players have retained legal counsel and are exploring possible litigation against Kriol Star if they do not receive payment by today, Friday, May 9th, 2025; The primary citation is a breach of contract.

While the full scope of the fallout is still developing, one thing is clear: the situation has raised serious questions about player welfare and contractual integrity at Kriol Star.

Although Kriol Star has yet to officially release a statement, Africa Basket has spoken directly with several international players who raised the allegations, as well as head coach Hugo Salgado and club co-founder Joel Almeida, to better understand the events surrounding this growing controversy. Africa Basket will release an exclusive report that hopes to shed light on the issues and present a balanced story.