<p>Two Mali players apologised on Tuesday after they fought each other at the women's basketball World Cup, with governing body FIBA opening an investigation into the incident.</p>.<p>The scuffle erupted in a media zone at the tournament in Sydney on Monday and was caught on camera while Serbia's Sasa Cado was being interviewed. Serbia had defeated Mali 81-68.</p>.<p>A short video clip which has since been widely watched online showed Mali's Salimatou Kourouma throwing at least three punches at teammate Kamite Elisabeth Dabou as a shocked Cado retreated.</p>.<p>Other Mali players shouting "stop" rushed over to intervene and break up the fight.</p>.<p>The two players fronted a press conference after their final tournament game, an 88-65 loss to Canada in which both featured, and apologised.</p>.<p>"We are here to apologise for the image that was on social media, it was not our intention," Dabou said as they sat side-by-side.</p>.<p>"We were frustrated because of the loss and we're here to apologise to the whole of the FIBA basketball World Cup. We are sorry."</p>.<p>They took no questions.</p>.<p>FIBA said was investigating and once concluded "will decide on any applicable disciplinary measures".</p>.<p>Coach Joaquin Brizuela called the fracas a "sad incident".</p>.<p>"They are two of our key players and even though it was a sad incident, it was more about they wanted to play basketball at a higher level, and they did show that today," he said through an interpreter.</p>.<p>"We have learned a lot from playing this tournament."</p>.<p>Mali failed to win any of their five games after qualifying for their second World Cup as a late replacement for Nigeria, who pulled out citing administrative difficulties around the sport in their country.</p>
<p>Two Mali players apologised on Tuesday after they fought each other at the women's basketball World Cup, with governing body FIBA opening an investigation into the incident.</p>.<p>The scuffle erupted in a media zone at the tournament in Sydney on Monday and was caught on camera while Serbia's Sasa Cado was being interviewed. Serbia had defeated Mali 81-68.</p>.<p>A short video clip which has since been widely watched online showed Mali's Salimatou Kourouma throwing at least three punches at teammate Kamite Elisabeth Dabou as a shocked Cado retreated.</p>.<p>Other Mali players shouting "stop" rushed over to intervene and break up the fight.</p>.<p>The two players fronted a press conference after their final tournament game, an 88-65 loss to Canada in which both featured, and apologised.</p>.<p>"We are here to apologise for the image that was on social media, it was not our intention," Dabou said as they sat side-by-side.</p>.<p>"We were frustrated because of the loss and we're here to apologise to the whole of the FIBA basketball World Cup. We are sorry."</p>.<p>They took no questions.</p>.<p>FIBA said was investigating and once concluded "will decide on any applicable disciplinary measures".</p>.<p>Coach Joaquin Brizuela called the fracas a "sad incident".</p>.<p>"They are two of our key players and even though it was a sad incident, it was more about they wanted to play basketball at a higher level, and they did show that today," he said through an interpreter.</p>.<p>"We have learned a lot from playing this tournament."</p>.<p>Mali failed to win any of their five games after qualifying for their second World Cup as a late replacement for Nigeria, who pulled out citing administrative difficulties around the sport in their country.</p>