Basketball teams from Russia and its ally Belarus, which “loaned” its territory to allow the invasion of Ukraine, have been banned from participating in pre-qualifying tournaments for the 2024 Paris Olympics, announced , on the evening of Tuesday, April 18, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). Deprived of this deadline, the selections of the two countries will therefore not be able to participate in the Olympic tournament, in France, in the summer of 2024.
“In accordance with the recommendations of the IOC [International Olympic Committee] regarding the participation of athletes with Russian or Belarusian nationality in international competitions published on March 28, the FIBA ??Executive Committee has decided not to authorize the registration of national teams Russia and Belarus in the FIBA ??2023 Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments,” the body said in a statement.
It is Bulgaria who will benefit from the place freed up by the disqualification of the Russians and Belarusians. These pre-qualifier tournaments, which are scheduled to be drawn on May 1, are scheduled to take place from August 12-20. Two European teams, out of the sixteen selected from those who are not qualified for the 2023 World Cup, will obtain a ticket for the real qualifying tournament through this.
“At an appropriate date”
The recommendations of the International Olympic Committee to international federations regarding the reintegration of Russian and Belarusian athletes urged not to retain “teams of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport”.
In the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, Russian athletes have certainly been banned from most international sports competitions, but the IOC has paved the way, since the beginning of the year, for their return as individuals.
Thomas Bach, President of the IOC, affirmed on March 28 his desire to see the sports federations once again welcome the athletes of these two countries in international competitions, while postponing the decision concerning the Games “to an appropriate date”.
In response, Kiev decreed that none of its representatives would line up in the qualifying events for which Russians and Belarusians would be entered, making the threat of seeing the Paris Games take place without its delegation a little more concrete. Ukrainian authorities have accused the IOC of promoting war. Many Western countries have also denounced the project of the Olympic authorities.
For their part, the international federations do not display a united front on this subject. Fencing is in favor of a return of Russian and Belarusian athletes, but athletics has repeated its veto, when many federations have not yet decided the issue or have adopted compromises. In tennis, for example, Russian and Belarusian players can participate in ATP and WTA tournaments, but not under the flag of their country.
