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Russian Basketball Federation receives FIBA’s decision on lift of disqualification

The FIBA central board lifted the ban to take part in international competitions off all Russian teams

© ITAR-TASS/Valery Sharifulin

MOSCOW, August 12. /TASS/. The Russian Basketball Federation (RBF) has received a written decision from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) on lifting the ban on all national teams to take part in international competitions, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Wednesday.

The FIBA earlier suspended Russia’s membership over the non-transparent management system at the Russian Basketball Federation.

The situation over the Russian Basketball Federation was in focus of a meeting of the FIBA central board on Sunday. At its Sunday meeting, the FIBA central board lifted the ban to take part in international competitions off all Russian teams. The ban was also lifted off Russian coaches, referees and commissioners. The board, however, kept a ban in respect of other officials of the Russian Basketball Federation.

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"We have finally received the decision of the FIBA’s executive committee. It is now being translated. We need to study it very carefully. I’ll get acquainted with it at the end of the day. After that, we’ll take final measures for its implementation," Mutko said.

A Moscow Court earlier ruled to oblige the RBF to hold a conference for electing the organization’s new president and executive committee. It was decided to hold the re-election on August 25.

"Tomorrow I’m going to communicate with an initiative group, which has undertaken to hold this accountable conference. I want to believe we’re moving in the right direction. As soon as we restore governance in basketball, we’ll address the issue of the lift of sanctions," Mutko said.

Disputing Russian Basketball Federation’s new election conference ‘would be fatal’

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"Our task is to ensure that the sanctions [on the RBF] be lifted," the sports minister said. "We have now assumed the responsibility and need to bear it to the end. If some persons decide to dispute it again, this will be a fatal outcome," the sports minister said.

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) suspended Russia’s membership in late July over the non-transparent management system at the Russian Basketball Federation. A top-level Russian Olympic official told TASS after the FIBA’s decision that the International Basketball Federation would lift its suspension on Russia from its participation in international tournaments after the country’s governing body of basketball elected legitimate administration.

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