Liz Kampa withdraws from Team Victoria in Tokyo

WNBA star Liz Campage has withdrawn from the Australian women's Olympic basketball team due to her concerns about living and competing within the restrictive bubble of the Tokyo Games.

Brisbane, Australia - WNBA star Liz Cambridge has pulled out of basketball at the Women's Olympic Games in Australia due to her concerns about living and competing within the restrictive bubble of the Tokyo Games.

Campag published a statement on social media on Friday saying that the prospect of having no friends, no family, no fans and no support system outside the team during the Olympics was "frankly frightening to me".

"It breaks my heart to announce my withdrawal from the Olympics," she said, "but I think it's best for Opal and myself."

The 29-year-old Las Vegas Aces Center said she's had panic attacks for the past month, and hasn't been sleeping or eating.

"Relying on daily medication to control my anxiety is not where I want to be right now," she said in the statement. "Especially entering the competition on the world's largest sports arena."

The Tokyo Olympics, which have already been postponed for 12 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are scheduled to start on July 29. Athletes and officials will not be allowed to leave their accommodation, competition or training grounds. The government has prevented fans from attending most Olympic stadiums due to a spike in coronavirus cases across the Japanese capital.

Campig, who was with the Australian team in Las Vegas last week for the friendlies, said she needed to "take care of myself mentally and physically."

She wore the WNBA All-Star uniform against the U.S. Olympic team on Wednesday, but did not play in her team's 93-85 victory.

The Australian Olympic Committee said on Friday it was studying the possibility of replacing Cambage of late, who won an Olympic bronze medal in London in 2012 and was among the team's stars at the 2016 Olympics.

"Liz has made a significant contribution to the Australian Olympic team during two Olympic Games campaigns," Ian Chesterman, head of the Australian Olympic delegation in Tokyo, said in a statement. "We respect her decision and wish her well in returning to full health."

In her statement, Campag said that anyone who knows her knows that "one of my biggest dreams is to win an Olympic gold medal with an opal."

“Every athlete who competes in the Olympics should be at their peak mentally and physically, and right now, I'm very far from what I want and need. It's no secret that I've had psychological problems in the past, and lately I've been worried about heading into the 'bubble' Olympics. "