The basketball tournament at the upcoming South Asian Games competition in Guwahati and Shillong seems to be in trouble with world governing body FIBA writing a letter to Basketball Federation of India (BFI) derecognizing it.
The governing body has said that in view of “unacceptable interference by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in the affairs of the Basketball Federation of India, FIBA is unable to recognize and endorse the basketball competitions of the South-Asian Games scheduled to take place from February 11 to 16, 2016.”
The letter adds that despite the several correspondences issued by FIBA to relevant authorities in India, the IOA as well as the State authorities failed to give due recognition to BFI.
It states that “the IOA has granted to an Ad-hoc Committee the authority to select the Indian national teams due to participate in this event in complete violation of FIBA’s decisions and directions.”
At the last FIBA Asia Board meeting held on January 30, 2016, it was decided unanimously to condemn the actions of the Indian authorities, which deprive recognized body BFI the right to select and manage the national teams, the letter says.
FIBA has requested all the participating nations to refrain from sending their national teams for the basketball event.