Left red-faced after basketball world body FIBA de-recognised the sport from the 12th South Asian Games due to government interference, the organising committee has gone on a damage control mode, trying to find a feasible solution before the start of the events.
In a letter to the basketball federations of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and hosts India, the FIBA has advised the participating nations not to send their teams to the multi-sporting event to be held in Guwahati and Shillong from February 5 to 16.
Basketball discipline is
scheduled to be held here from February 11-16.
Organising Committee CEO and SAI DG Injeti Srinivas said that efforts are on to
find out a solution so that the
basketball competition goes ahead as per scheduled February 11-16 itinerary.
"FIBA is a the world body of basketball and we can't just say that we don't respect them. They are the world body and important stakeholder in the sport. We respect them. But we feel that a solution can be brought about," Srinivas told PTI.
Asked specifically if the discipline will be scrapped in view of the FIBA dictat to the participating countries not to take part in it, Srinivas said, "We have not taken any decision yet. The IOA President (N Ramachandran) will be involved in trying to sort out the issue. He will directly speak to the FIBA people and we are still hopeful that basketball goes on in the Games," he said.
FIBA recognises a faction of the Basketball Federation of India while the IOA recognises another faction. The IOA had selected Indian players to take part in the Games while the FIBA-recognised faction had also done the same.
The head of the BFI faction recognised by the FIBA, K Govindraj said that it was a "shame" on the part of the government to have let it reach to such a passe.
"It is a shame on the part of the government and the IOA. Earlier, the Sports Ministry had written to us that the basketball discipline in the SAG will be held under our aegis but later the SAI again wrote to us that the IOA would be holding the event in Guwahati. I don't the reason of the change of heart on the part of the government," he said from his home in Karnataka.
The letter from FIBA secretary-general Patrick Baumann stated:"Please be informed that due to unacceptable interference by the Indian Olympic Association in the affairs of the Basketball Federation of India, FIBA is unable to recognise and and endorse the basketball competitions of the South Asian Games scheduled to take place from 11 to 16 February 2016."
"The Indian Olympic Association as well as the state authorities in charge of the sport in India continuously fail to recognise the Basketball Federation of India duly recognised by FIBA despite several correspondences issued by FIBA to all relevant authorities in India," it further stated.
Accordingly, 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, the FIBA official said.
As a result, this matter was discussed at the last FIBA Asia Board meeting on January 30, Baumann said.
"During this meeting, the decision was unanimously taken to condemn the actions undertaken by the Indian authorities in charge of the sport which in essence deprive the national Basketball Federation of India duly recognised by FIBA the statutory right to select and manage its national teams.
"In view of the seriousness of this matter, you are therefore requested to refrain from sending any of your national teams to this basketball event," Baumann said.
In case basketball is scrapped, the Games will have 22 disciplines and Guwahati will host 15 sports and men's football. The Meghalaya capital of Shillong is hosting six disciplines anf women's football.
