By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The Australian Federation announced that guard/forward Ryan Broekhoff and forward/center Isaac Humphries have withdrawn from the national team ahead of the Olympic Games.
Broekhoff mentioned mental health issues as the reason he’ll skip playing with the Boomers this summer. “My mental health is something I have struggled with for a long time and I think it’s important for me to put my hand up and admit when things aren’t ok and that it is time to seek help.”
Per the Australian Federation:
Boomers’ Ryan Broekhoff and Isaac Humphries have advised Basketball Australia that they will not be able to join the Olympic squad travelling to the USA this week for the final selection camp ahead of the Olympic Team announcement in early July.
Both players expressed disappointment at having to withdraw from the Boomers Squad and the opportunity to represent Australia at the Games.
Broekhoff, 30, who represented Australia at the Olympic Games in Rio said “for me to play at my best I need to be mentally and physically firing, and I’m not there right now.”
“My mental health is something I have struggled with for a long time and I think it’s important for me to put my hand up and admit when things aren’t ok and that it is time to seek help.”
“To play at this level, the team needs me to be 100%, I can’t in all good conscience say that I’m in a place to deliver that.”
“Everyone who knows me understands the gut-wrenching decision this is, as representing my country is the highest honour I have had in my career. I know that Goorj (coach Brian Goorjian) and the team can bring home the gold and I will be cheering on from home.”
The Olympic Games has long been a dream for Isaac Humphries with injury halting his chance of making his debut.
“It’s disappointing for sure, this isn’t how I wanted my Olympics campaign to go. Despite making every effort the knee hasn’t come up to where it needs to be to play at this level and I need to put the team first.”
“Playing for Australia in the Olympics is a lifelong dream and I will be making every effort to be ready for selection come 2024.”
Boomers players from all over the world have begun arriving in Los Angeles this week for the final opportunity to press for Olympic selection.
Broekhoff and Humphries will not be replaced in the squad with the final team of 12 to be announced early in July.