In a joint statement to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the FIBA European Division and its members, the heads of the umbrella organizations of the Baltic States, the Nordic countries and Poland have reaffirmed their negative stance against the participation of officials, players and representatives of Russia and Belarus in events and management structures of the international basketball community.
Reminding the organization that FIBA's response to the opinion previously expressed by the signatories of this letter has not yet been received, FIBA and the FIBA European Division are informed that the mentioned nine countries withdraw from the participation in the FIBA Wilead program and will not nominate participants for other FIBA programs as long as the representatives of Russia and Belarus participate in them.
LBS, kā arī vēl astoņu valstu basketbola organizācijas atsaukušas savus dalībniekus no līdzdalības programmā “FIBA Wilead”, kuras dalībnieku sastāvā iekļauti Krievijas un Baltkrievijas pārstāvji. https://t.co/Dv0XwxYfVI pic.twitter.com/uFTg8pXPDU
— Latvijas Basketbola savienība (@basketbols) February 17, 2023
"For as long as there is a war in Ukraine, we reiterate our joint commitment that the Nordic-Baltic States’ Basketball federations and Poland Basketball Federation withdraw from the participation in FIBA Wilead programme and further will not nominate participants in other FIBA programmes if the Russian and Belarus representatives are programme participants. If the FIBA take no effective supportive action, it will be entirely clear that all mentioned national basketball federations will consider to withdraw nominated candidates from all FIBA Commissions, structures and programmes," says the joint letter, which is attached to this story.
