International Basketball Federation Excludes Russian Men’s National Team from 2024 Olympics Qualifiers

Yesterday, the International Basketball Federation announced the exclusion of the Russian men’s team from participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics qualifiers, which will be held from August 12 to 20.

The Federation said in a statement on its website, “After the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee regarding the participation of athletes holding Russian or Belarusian passports in international competitions published on March 28, the Executive Committee of the International Basketball Federation decided not to allow the entry of the Russian men’s team into the Olympic qualifiers.”

Bulgaria, as the second-best ranked European team, will be the last team to participate in the FIBA ​​Olympic Qualifiers.

And the International Basketball Association “FIBA” excluded Russia and Belarus from all upcoming major tournaments in May of last year (2022).

The Executive Committee of the Federation imposed sanctions on the two countries after the Russian military operation in Ukraine, in addition to preventing them from organizing any sporting event related to the game “until further notice.”

And last March, the deputy head of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, did not hide that it was possible for sports to move from European federations to Asian federations, stressing the need to take such measures because they are beneficial to athletes.

Medvedev said: “With regard to the transition to the Asian federations. If it is beneficial for the Russian athletes, why not? This matter gives positives in certain points, and has negatives in other points. Of course, in areas where the level of the Asian federations is high, it must inevitably move, and when it occurs We can go back or stay there.”