The basketball teams of Russia and Belarus have been banned from participating in the prequalification tournaments for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the International Federation (Fiba) announced on Tuesday.
“In accordance with the recommendations of the IOC 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 the national teams of Russia and Belarus. in the Fiba 2023 Olympic prequalification tournaments,” the body said in a statement.
See you in August
“Bulgaria, thus becoming the best non-qualified European nation, will be the last team to have the right to participate”, it is specified. These pre-qualifying tournaments, whose draw is scheduled for May 1, are scheduled to take place from August 12 to 20. Two European teams of the sixteen selected among those who are not qualified for the 2023 World Cup will obtain a ticket for the real qualifying tournament.
As a reminder, the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to international federations regarding the reintegration of Russian and Belarusian athletes invited not to retain “teams of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport”.