World’s basketball governing body, FIBA has written to the Nigerian Basketball Federation( NBBF) to expressed its concerns about the suspension of the country from all international basketball competitions for the next two years.
Recall that the sports minister, Sunday Dare through the sport ministry announced that President Muhammadu Buhari, had approved a two-year on Nigeria Nigeria from all international basketball competitions citing long-standing leadership tussles in the NBBF.
In response to the written to letter by the Ahmadu Kida led NBBF board, FIBA warned that the federation would be breaching the Article 9.7 of FIBA’s General Statutes, which states, “National member federations shall manage their affairs independently and with no influence from third parties.”- if the country withdraw from upcoming international events.
The letter signed by Jaime Lamboy, Head of Legal, FIBA also narrates the further sanctions the NBBF would face of the the two year ban materialized.
The letter reads:
“In such letter, you pre-emptively informed FIBA of the apparent decision by the Nigerian Government (Federal Ministry of Youth & Sports Development) intending to have Nigeria take a break from all international engagements for two years and enabling an Interim Management Committee to run the affairs of the basketball in Nigeria.
As you already are aware, Nigeria is due to participate in the following FIBA competitions in the upcoming months: FIBA 2023 Basketball World Cup Qualifiers (FBWC23 Qualifiers) FIBA 2022 Women’s Basketball World Cup (FWBWC22).
As you are aware, any withdrawal of Nigeria from the abovementioned competitions will trigger potential disciplinary sanctions as per the FIBA Internal Regulations. Furthermore, if the absence of Nigeria from international competitions for the next two years materialises, the consequences may spread out well past such a two-year period.
For example, please note that the withdrawal from the FBWC23 Qualifiers is also a withdrawal from the Paris 2024 Olympic qualification process. Similarly, depending on third-party results, the same situation could apply with respect to FIBA AfroBasket 2025.”
The statement requested the NBBF to respond immediately with their next line of action.
“Accordingly, we request from the NBBF to immediately inform FIBA whether its participation in the abovementioned competitions is or not ratified.
We take the opportunity to remind the NBBF of its obligations to manage its affairs with no influence from third parties, as per Article 9.6 of FIBA General Statutes.
I send you and your Federation’s staff my Best Wishes for health and safety.”
Both the male national team, D’tigers and the female national team, the D’tigress will miss out on the 2024 Olympic Games, 2025 World Championships as well as the next two Afrobasket Championships, if sanctioned.
