This early exit followed two consecutive losses—an 89-63 defeat to South Korea and a narrow 71-67 loss to Hungary—which extinguished any hopes of advancing past the group stage. The team is now looking to conclude its campaign with a win against France.

However, the disappointing performance has brought the team’s preparation into question, particularly the fragmented schedule of head coach Rena Wakama. Wakama revealed that she only learned she would be travelling to the World Cup a few days before leaving the United States, having spent a significant portion of the preparation period working with the WNBA’s Chicago Sky. This late notice meant she joined D’Tigress just four days prior to their first game, missing the team’s extensive pre-tournament camps in the U.S., China, and Spain.

Due to her commitments with the Chicago Sky, Wakama had been absent from the team since April, forcing assistant coach Wani Muganguzi to lead the squad during their U.S. tour, which included warm-up games against the Los Angeles Sparks and Minnesota Lynx. Muganguzi also oversaw the team’s subsequent preparatory stints in China and Spain.

The resulting lack of continuity has drawn significant criticism, alongside broader concerns about the squad’s overall quality and composition. Wakama herself acknowledged the team’s struggles, pointing to a lack of cohesion and poor shooting, particularly from the free-throw line, as key factors in their loss to South Korea.

Key details surrounding his life and passing include:

• Funeral and Tributes: Funeral arrangements are currently underway in Kizimkazi, a village located on the semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar. Vice-President Ndejembi led tributes to the late academic and extended condolences to the president, family, and friends.

• Background and Profile: Ameir was an agricultural academic who maintained a low public profile, rarely appearing publicly alongside his wife except for occasional official events.

• Family History: He married Samia in 1978 before she entered national politics, and the couple shared four children—three sons and a daughter. Their daughter, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, follows in her mother’s political footsteps as a member of Zanzibar’s House of Representatives in the National Assembly.