MINSK, 16 May (BelTA) - Belarus urged the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to stop discriminatory practices and let Belarusian teams to compete in international tournaments, reads a special address of Chairman of the Belarusian Basketball Federation Maksim Ryzhenkov to the participants of the FIBA Congress which is taking place in Bahrain, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Basketball Federation.
According to Maksim Ryzhenkov, on 18 May 2022 the FIBA Executive Council made an unjustified decision to suspend the national teams of Belarus from participation in official events under the auspices of FIBA. This was the biggest disappointment for our entire basketball family, including players, fans, coaches and tens of thousands of children taking up basketball.
At the same time, the national football teams and clubs of Belarus, supported by FIFA and UEFA, continue to play in all official international tournaments. Not long ago the Belarusian national beach soccer team won silver medals of the 2025 Beach Soccer World Cup. In 2025, a total of 32 Belarusian federations in 37 sports are let to participate in official international events, the head of the Belarusian Basketball Federation said. Now many international federations are actively working on the return of Belarusian athletes to the international arena, while one of the world's leading sports federations - FIBA - continues to extend the period of disqualification. This decision may destroy several generations of highly motivated and well-trained Belarusian basketball players.
“According to the United Nations, there are more than 40 armed conflicts currently taking place around the world. If all the countries affected by them are banned from international tournaments, there will be no one to compete with. I would like to remind everyone that European and American politicians do not care about sports and basketball in particular, and human lives and sports careers mean nothing to them,” Maksim Ryzhenkov said.
In his words, the ban on the participation of Belarusian players in international 3x3 basketball tournaments in foreign teams goes far beyond common sense. It is a direct discrimination based on place of birth, ethnic origin or nationality. “Instead of playing a consolidating role aimed at reconciling the interests of athletes in accordance with the basic principle of the Olympic Charter that sport should not mix with politics, the basketball community, unfortunately, is poisoned by the virus of hatred and intolerance. The Olympic Charter states that sports organizations of the Olympic Movement should observe political neutrality,” he stressed.
Maksim Ryzhenkov's address has become one of the most discussed topics of the international forum, Anastasia Marinina, Secretary General of the Belarusian Basketball Federation, explained. “The absolute majority of countries are in favor for the return of our teams to the international arena. For example, officials are very sorry that the upcoming FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup will not feature two leading world teams - Belarus and Russia, because it will affect the level of the tournament in the first place. The recommendation to exclude team sports from the tournaments comes from the International Olympic Committee, so now special hopes for the elimination of the discriminatory policy are pinned on the newly elected IOC President Kirsty Coventry. Everyone is hoping that changes will happen as early as this year. The basketball community is ready to actively support them. These days the Belarusian Basketball Federation continues to receive official congratulations, including from many European federations, on the election of Maksim Ryzhenkov as Chairman of the Belarusian Basketball Federation. Both FIBA and FIBA Europe are ready to support Belarus. We are waiting for the IOC decision.”
According to Maksim Ryzhenkov, on 18 May 2022 the FIBA Executive Council made an unjustified decision to suspend the national teams of Belarus from participation in official events under the auspices of FIBA. This was the biggest disappointment for our entire basketball family, including players, fans, coaches and tens of thousands of children taking up basketball.
At the same time, the national football teams and clubs of Belarus, supported by FIFA and UEFA, continue to play in all official international tournaments. Not long ago the Belarusian national beach soccer team won silver medals of the 2025 Beach Soccer World Cup. In 2025, a total of 32 Belarusian federations in 37 sports are let to participate in official international events, the head of the Belarusian Basketball Federation said. Now many international federations are actively working on the return of Belarusian athletes to the international arena, while one of the world's leading sports federations - FIBA - continues to extend the period of disqualification. This decision may destroy several generations of highly motivated and well-trained Belarusian basketball players.
“According to the United Nations, there are more than 40 armed conflicts currently taking place around the world. If all the countries affected by them are banned from international tournaments, there will be no one to compete with. I would like to remind everyone that European and American politicians do not care about sports and basketball in particular, and human lives and sports careers mean nothing to them,” Maksim Ryzhenkov said.
In his words, the ban on the participation of Belarusian players in international 3x3 basketball tournaments in foreign teams goes far beyond common sense. It is a direct discrimination based on place of birth, ethnic origin or nationality. “Instead of playing a consolidating role aimed at reconciling the interests of athletes in accordance with the basic principle of the Olympic Charter that sport should not mix with politics, the basketball community, unfortunately, is poisoned by the virus of hatred and intolerance. The Olympic Charter states that sports organizations of the Olympic Movement should observe political neutrality,” he stressed.
Maksim Ryzhenkov's address has become one of the most discussed topics of the international forum, Anastasia Marinina, Secretary General of the Belarusian Basketball Federation, explained. “The absolute majority of countries are in favor for the return of our teams to the international arena. For example, officials are very sorry that the upcoming FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup will not feature two leading world teams - Belarus and Russia, because it will affect the level of the tournament in the first place. The recommendation to exclude team sports from the tournaments comes from the International Olympic Committee, so now special hopes for the elimination of the discriminatory policy are pinned on the newly elected IOC President Kirsty Coventry. Everyone is hoping that changes will happen as early as this year. The basketball community is ready to actively support them. These days the Belarusian Basketball Federation continues to receive official congratulations, including from many European federations, on the election of Maksim Ryzhenkov as Chairman of the Belarusian Basketball Federation. Both FIBA and FIBA Europe are ready to support Belarus. We are waiting for the IOC decision.”
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