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In some terrible news for Indian basketball, the Sports Ministry has put on hold any official basketball event in India until the members of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) are recognized by the government.
A letter written by the Under-secretary of the Government of India, AK Patra, says that the ministry is in no position to provide recognition to either faction presently.
“The ministry is not in a position to give recognition to either faction at this stage. Both factions are advised not to hold any official event in India and not to use the logo of this ministry or Sports Authority of India (SAI) until office bearers of BFI are recognized by the government,” the letter read.
The basketball federation has been going through tumultuous times over the last six months with the emergence of two factions, each of whom wants to take charge of the running the sport in the country. There was further confusion when two separate elections were held and two sets of office bearers took charge.
K Govindraj was elected the President from the Bengaluru faction while Poonam Mahajan was chosen from the Pune faction. The International Basketball Association (FIBA) and the Indian Government sent an observer each for both elections while an observer from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was sent for the elections in Pune.
The IOA, through a letter, recognized the elections that were held in Pune headed by Poonam Mahajan, and former CEO Roopesh Harish Sharma was elected as the secretary-general.
On the 23rd of May, FIBA, courtesy of a letter, recognized the elections held by the Bengaluru faction but instructed its President K Govindraj and secretary Chander Mukhi Sharma to meet the officials in the Pune faction and settle the issues with the officials amicably.
That decision by FIBA forced the Pune faction to postpone the Youth Championships that were scheduled to be held in Assam. The Bengaluru faction announced on Friday that it would be host the qualifying tournament – South Asian Basketball Championships (SABA) – in Bengaluru between July 3rd and 5th.
But now it seems like that might also be in some doubt following the decision of the sports ministry.
