Bengal Tigers (Men), Ludhiana Sparx (Women) win FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 – India Qualifiers in Bengaluru

In a first-ever iteration of the FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 - India Qualifiers - held on June 23-24,2018 - dozens of teams in both the men and women's divisions from around the country descended to Bengaluru. Organised by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), the event concluded on Sunday evening at Bengaluru's Sree Kanteerava Stadium with the Bengal Tigers (Men) and Ludhiana Sparx (Women) emerging as champions.

In the Men's final, Bengal Tigers of West Bengal defeated Punjab's Ludhiana Steelers 22-17 to win the tournament.

In the women's section, Punjab's Ludhiana Steelers defeated the Tamil Nadu Tigers 16-10.

Both winning squads were rewarded Rs. 75,000 while the two runners-up got Rs. 50,000 each. All the four finalists will thus represent India in the South Asian Basketball Association (SABA) Quest stop. The SABA Quest stop carries a total prize money of USD 10,000 with the top teams going on to the Quest Final.

Third place was won by Tamil Nadu Tigers (Men) in a 22-13 win over Hyderabad Tigers. Bengaluru Wings (Women), the team with the local support, defeated Bengal Tigress 10-6 to win the women's bronze. Both bronze-medallists were rewarded Rs. 25,000 each.

T. Suneel Kumar, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner was the chief guest and gave away the prizes along with BFI's president K Govindaraj, MLC and Secretary-General Chander Mukhi Sharma.

Complete results of the event and player profiles of the FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 - India qualifiers are available here.

FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 India Qualifiers to be held in Bengaluru this weekend

The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) affiliated national 3x3 event will be taking off this weekend. The FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 - India Qualifiers are scheduled to be held in Bengaluru's Sree Kanteerava Stadium on June 23-24, 2018. This FIBA 3x3 event, organised under the aegis of the BFI, will feature 12 city-based teams in two categories (men and women) representing the BFI's affiliated units around India.

The winners and runners-up of the FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 – India Qualifiers will represent India at the South Asian Basketball Association (FIBA Sub-Zone) Quest stop. The SABA Quest stop carries a prize money of USD 10,000, with the top teams going on to the Quest Final.

BFI's president K Govindaraj said that the FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 – India Qualifiers were the ideal opportunity that the BFI were looking for to tip off the FIBA 3x3 movement in India. "FIBA 3x3 is a great concept is a boon for Indian basketball on many counts," said Govindraj. "It not only helps us widen the base for basketball thus increasing the popularity of basketball in India, but also is a fantastic opportunity to increase the number of the organisers for basketball events in India."

"The ultimate aim for BFI is to take the Indian team to the Olympic 3x3 competition."

This, of course, is not the first major 3x3 event in India. The YKBK Enterprise launched the 3BL, a FIBA-recognised 3x3 basketball league in India, two weeks ago in New Delhi. 3BL's first season is being held in six Indian cities - Mumbai, Delhi, Aizawl, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore - from June 9 to August 26 this year with twelve teams. This weekend, while the BFI's Asia Quest event takes place in Bengaluru, 3BL's second round will be in progress in Aizawl.

The BFI's launch of this 3x3 event doesn't come without controversy. On the same day as the 3BL announced their launch, the BFI announced a ban on all 3x3 players in India from playing in national 5x5 events, and vice versa. More recently, the BFI banned two players associated with the 3BL's launch - Amjyot Singh and Palpreet Singh Brar - from federation's national events for one year.

Now, the BFI is entering the competition with their own 3x3 event. The BFI's secretary-general Chander Mukhi Sharma said that the FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 – India Qualifiers will tip off their long-term FIBA 3x3 project.

"BFI has chalked out a long-term FIBA 3x3 program with a competition structure that will involve more than 500 games across India every year," said Sharma. "We do believe that the FIBA 3x3 is certainly the way forward and are certain that it will act as a catalyst in improving the standard of basketball along with increasing the popularity of the sport."

Games at the FIBA Asia Quest 3x3 – India Qualifiers are scheduled to tip off at 4 pm on Saturday June 23, 2018 and through the whole of Sunday at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium outdoor courts.

IOA finally grants affiliation to the "new" Basketball Federation of India

From a distance, it might seem like Indian Basketball has been bouncing around just fine. India has seen improvements in our national performances over the past few years and have hired a couple of respected international coaches for the senior men's and women's squads. Our stars are starting to make waves internationally and we are even hosting a couple of major FIBA events - the FIBA Asia Women's Cup and FIBA Asia U16 Women's Championship - on our home turf this year.

But true fans know that basketball's mere existence in India since 2015 has been an act of rebellion. Two years ago, the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) broke apart into two opposing factions, each claiming to be the rightful committee to lead Indian basketball. The faction led by President K. Govindraj, formed in Bengaluru, was granted affiliated by the international basketball association FIBA because they held their annual general meeting legally as per the BFI constitution. But the faction led by President Poonam Mahajan, formed in Pune, contested this decision, and were supported by the the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Government of India. Because of this division, the IOA and the Sports Ministry didn't recognise the Govindraj-faction BFI under the umbrella of Olympic sports and sports federations in India. All of the progress in the sport has since been propelled by the Govindraj-BFI without direct support or affiliations from these higher associations.

Anyways, it's now mid-2017, and the IOA - who had earlier appointed an "ad-hoc" committee to oversee Indian Basketball - have finally done the right thing and granted affiliation to the BFI, coming to terms with the federation that is recognised by BFI and who have been running the show for Indian basketball for the last few years.

The Times of India reported on Friday that, in a letter dated July 13, 2017, the IOA's General Secretary Rajeev Mehta wrote, "In accordance with the directives of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and honouring the rule 29 of Olympic Charter, the IOA grants affiliation to the BFI with K Govindraj as president and Chander Mukhi Sharma as secretary general." Mehta added that the affiliation is "subject to ratification by the executive council / general body of the IOA."

Apparently, it was the leader of the opposing faction - Poonam Mahajan - that finally urged the IOA to end the impasse. More reporting on this issue by Amit Sampat for The Times of India:

The reason to revise the decision and grant recognition to the other faction was the initiative of Poonam Mahajan informed Mehta. "On the initiative of Poonam Mahajan we took this decision. She wanted to end this impasse and was eager to see basketball as one of the top sport. She was always positive for basketball and informed me that she has no problem if IOA grants recognition to the other group. On her positive approach the IOA took this decision and the issue will soon be resolved," Mehta told TOI.
The sports ministry, however, has not granted recognition to either of the factions. Ever since June 12, 2015, the sports ministry has put on hold the conduct of any official basketball event in India until the office bearers of the BFI are recognized by the government.
Even the IMG-Reliance group, which signed a 30-year contract with the BFI in 2010, has stopped all activities including sponsorships until the office bearers are recognized. In that historic deal in 2010 the IMG-Reliance group was given the commercial rights of basketball in India.

Officials of both the factions and IMG-Reliance group have been fighting their respective battles in the court. Mediation is in progress to resolve the issue.

The IOA's affiliation is good news, as the rightful committee atop the BFI can now clear one obstruction on their way to full legitimacy. Hopefully, the government can now follow on this decision and extend their recognition towards the BFI, too. The ball is now in the court - literally, as it is a courtroom battle now - but fans will be hoping for a quick mediation so that the BFI can look for new sponsors beyond IMG Reliance and help move the game forward.

Serbian Zoran Visic appointed head coach of India's Women's Basketball Team

The biggest date on India's basketball calendar is approaching this year - the FIBA Asia Women's Cup - and this year's tournament is going to be extra special: India will have the privilege and pressure of hosting this prestigious championship on their home soil, in Bengaluru, and this will be the first time that the FIBA Asia Women's Cup will incorporate the top teams from the Oceania region, too. Two years ago, India fell to lower level of this championship after a forgettable performance in Wuhan, China: now, playing on home soil, they will be hoping for extra motivation to rise back up the ranks of Asian basketball.

To help complete that complicated task, the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) officially announced the appointment of seasoned Serbian Coach Zoran Visic as the new Head Coach of the Indian women's national team. Visic took over Team India at the national camp from June 1 and will serve his contract until the end of July. The FIBA Asia Women's Cup is scheduled in Bengaluru from July 23-29, 2017. Before the big tournament, Visic and the squad will get a chance to play in preparatory games as they will also participate in the William Jones Cup in Taiwan from July 5-9. The BFI says that Visic's term may be extended after the end of July if mutually agreed by both parties.

Although he had already been working with the national team for two weeks, the BFI only made the announcement of Visic's appointment in a press conference at Bengaluru on Friday, June 16. BFI's President K Govindraj, Secretary-General Chander Mukhi Sharma, assistant coach Shiba Maggon, and senior-most player Anitha Paul Durai were present for Visic's official introduction.

"India has done a lot to improve in both the women’s and men’s sides [in the last few years]," Visic said at the press conference. "We are now in Division B. So for sure our target is to be once again in Division A. This is a new age for Indian basketball and I believe the girls have the confidence and pride necessary to deliver a good result."

India have been drawn in Division B's Group A at the tournament, along with Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan - the fourth team in their group, American Samoa, has backed out of the championship. India's aim will be to top the entire division make it back up to the hither Division A for the next iteration of this championship.

Visic will be the first foreign coach with the national team since the departure of Spaniard Francisco Garcia in 2015. Although incorporating his leadership skills and experience with Indian coaches like Paramdeep Singh and Shiba Maggon should definitely assist the national team, it is still a pity that the BFI waited so late - less than two months before the championship - to bring in a new coach. Every coach has a different philosophy and system, and to truly make a change in the basketball programme, needs to understand the structure of the sport, recruiting, facilities, and other options thoroughly. Visic, unfortunately, will not have the time to pick his own preferred team for his preferred system, and will instead have to make do with the probables available.

Which is, of course, not to say that the available probables aren't top notch. India will feature a great mix of youth and experience at the championship this year, including the aforementioned Paul Durai, star player Jeena Scaria, Shireen Limaye, Poojamol Kochuparambu, Poonam Chaturvedi, Kavita Akula, Barkha Sonkar, and more. Unlike 2015, India will also get a chance to prepare for the big tournament at the William Jones Cup this year, and hopefully, the team is able to find some chemistry in this short period of time before the FIBA Asia Women tips off.

Visic (61) has been the head coach of Yugoslavia's Women's national team, Serbian junior national team, and has coached professionally in Serbia, Russia, and most-recently, in Romania, over the past 22 years. If he does a good job in India, I hope for some continuity at the top and for him to spend a longer time in developing the national basketball programme here.

FIBA Asia Women's Cup 2017: India drawn in Division B, Group A

The last time India's Women's squad played in a major FIBA Asia tournament, they returned in failure. India lost all of their preliminary group games in Level 1 and then lost their playoff game, too, to fall down to the lower Level 2 of the tournament. It was a difficult time for our national team, and the last two years have been spent with the mission to return to the higher rung of competition.

In a few months, India will have some extra motivation for success: home court. For the first time since 2009, we will be hosting not one, but two major FIBA Asia events - the FIBA Asia Women's Cup and the FIBA Asia U16 Championship for Women - over the next few months. The former of these will be held in Bengaluru from July 23-29.

As the competition dates loom nearer, the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and FIBA took the next major step in preparation: On Wednesday morning in Bengaluru, the official draw for the FIBA Women's Asia Cup 2017 was held at the city's Krishna Hall. This year's list of squads, for the first time, include teams from the Oceania region in the Asian competition, too. The expanded fray of participants also presented a changed format in the tournament, with two groups in each "Division" (instead of Level). India were drawn into the lower Division B, Group A, along with Sri Lanka, American Samoa, and Uzbekistan.

Results: FIBA Asia Women's Cup 2017 Draw

• Division A, Group A: New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, North Korea, China.
• Division A, Group B: South Korea, Philippines, Japan, Australia.
• Division B, Group A: Sri Lanka, India, American Samoa, Uzbekistan.
• Division B, Group B: Lebanon, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Fiji.

Japan, the champions from 2015, will be among the favourites again, but will have to contend with a couple of strong sides in Australia and South Korea in their group. China and Chinese Taipei will be the strongest squads in Division A's Group A.

In terms of FIBA's World Rankings, India is still the fifth-highest ranked team in Asia, and should be able to top their group easily. India's main threat is likely to be Uzbekistan. If India can top Division B, they will be promoted to Division A for the next iteration of the championship.

The draw ceremony in Bengaluru on Wednesday was attended by BFI President K Govindaraj, BFI Secretary-General Chander Mukhi Sharma, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his Sports Minister Pramod Madhvaraj and Minister for Bengaluru Development and Town Planning KJ George.

Diary allegedly belonging to BFI president K Govindraj details payoffs of hundreds of crores

As we have learnt over and over again, there is no escaping the weight of politics in Indian sports. Occasionally, basketball has found some infamy in the Indian political conversation, too.

Earlier this week, several media houses reported news of the so-called "Donation Gate", a controversy that was spurred up from a secret diary allegedly found at the residence of Karnataka's Legislative Council MLC of the Congress Party, K. Govindraj. Govindraj's diary was seized during an Income Tax raid of several politicians a few months ago. It was only recently, however, that news leaked that this diary contained suspicious entries detailing payoffs of money passing hands in payoffs of hundreds of crores.

Govindraj is known as an important legislator in the state and a major fundraiser for Congress.

Why is this news important on a basketball blog? Well, because this is the same Govindraj who happens to the president of ruling executive committee of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), running much of its operations from Bengaluru. He is also the president of Karnataka Olympic Association.

Here are more details of this case, including the diary entries and Govindraj's response, as written by Navika Kumar on The Times of India:

The secret diary No. AKG03 speaks of a staggering Rs 600 crore routed to mysterious names like AICC, AP, M Vora, SG office, RG office and DGS. The diary also has an entry under steel bridge from where Rs 65 crore was marked as received. There is one entry which shows Rs 7 crore being paid to media for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike elections. The income tax department had called in Govindraj for questioning about the entries on February 11, 2017.
Govindraj claimed the handwriting isn't his and the signatures were forged. The Congress, too, has claimed the diary is fake and an attempt to malign them, while the BJP has called for a detailed investigation into it.

Govindraj disowned the diary almost a year ago, reports The Hindu.

Congress leaders pointed out (quoting the statement recorded during the inquiry) that Mr. Govindaraj had told the I-T sleuths during questioning repeatedly that the diary did not belong to him. He had also filed a complaint with the Indiranagar police on March 21, 2016, suspecting that the “mysterious diary” was “planted” in his house by some unknown persons with “malicious intent”.
“Mr. Govindaraj had disowned the diary not now, but almost a year ago throughout the course of the inquiry. So the leakage by whatever source amounts to breach of trust by the Income Tax Department,” said Congress spokesperson and MLC V.S. Ugrappa.

Only future investigation will reveal the truth behind the diary and the consequences - if any - for Govindraj. As usual, the rest of us of the Indian Basketball fraternity will be hoping that the controversy doesn't spill over to mar the sport itself.

Uttarakhand Men and Kerala Women become 2017 National Basketball champions in Puducherry

In the largest and finest annual collection of Indian basketball talent, only the most toughest survive to reach the pinnacle, to gain the prestigious honour of being called 'National Champions'. At the 67th Senior National Basketball Championship for Men and Women - the 'Senior Nationals' - in Puducherry, a couple of wounded predators got their retribution. Uttarakhand (Men) and Kerala (Women) - both runners-up from the tournament in 2016 - found their salvation in Puducherry by winning the Finals of the Senior Nationals on Saturday, January 14.

The 2017 Senior Nationals tipped off on Friday, January 7th at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Puducherry. The championship was being organised by the Puducherry Basketball Association under the aegis of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and featured over 50 total men and women's teams from states and units across India.

The women's final pitted 2016 runners-up Kerala against the upstart team from Telangana, who had upset the mighty Indian Railways in the semi-finals and made it this far for the first time in their history as an independent state. Known for producing some of the best women's basketball talent in India, Kerala as a state had come short for over three decades at the Senior Nationals. When Telangana got off to a strong start on Saturday, leading 34-26 at halftime, it seemed that Kerala's misery would be stretched even longer. It took until the crucial fourth quarter for Kerala to bounce back, as they slowed the game down to a grind and began to dominate proceedings. Kerala outscored their opponents 22-8 in the final period On Saturday, and finally broke their 32-year curse to win the Senior Nationals gold with a 68-59 victory. Rising international star Jeena Scaria led Kerala with 20 while M. Gayatri scored 16 for Telangana in the loss.

The men's final pitted familiar foes and two heavyweights of Indian basketball - Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu - against each other. Both teams had faced off in one form or another, including as ONGC and IOB, several times in big finals in recent years. Last year, Uttarakhand had bounced back from a 20-point deficit to beat TN in the Semi-Final, only to lose to Services in the final game. This year, TN, backed by nearby home support in Puducherry, hoped for a different outcome. But the result was decided chiefly on the talents of one exceptional superstar: Uttarakhand's and India's talented big man Amritpal Singh. TN had no answers for Amritpal, who scored 34 and caused havoc in the post all night. The two teams traded big runs back and forth in the first two quarters, but it was Uttarakhand who had the final word, finishing 23-16 in the fourth period to secure a 68-60 victory and their third national title in five years.

Kiran Bedi, the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, was the chief guest for the women’s finals between Kerala and Telangana, and distributed the trophies, medals and cash prizes. V Narayanasamy, Chief Minister of Puducherry, was the chief guest for the men’s finals between Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu. In both men and women sections, the winning team received a cash prize of Rs 2,00,000/-, the first runners up Rs 1,00,000/- and the second runners up were awarded Rs 50,000/-.

A felicitation ceremony was also held for the Indian national men’s squad which finished a historic 7th at the 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge (in Iran in September) and won a bronze medal at the 21st Super Kung Sheung Cup 2016 (in Hong Kong in December). The FIBA Asia Challenge squad won a total cash prize of Rs 5,00,000/-, while the Hong Kong contingent received Rs 1,45,000/-.

Earlier on Saturday, the third/fourth place matches were held to determine the bronze medalists in each division. The Women's bronze medal was won by Indian Railways, who survived despite a semi-final injury to their veteran Anitha Pauldurai to defeat Chhattisgarh 84-77. Navaneetha PU (21) and Sruthi Menon (16) led the way for Railways, overcoming another big game by Chhattisgarh's giant center Poonam Chaturvedi (31). The Men's game was a fun matchup between Punjab and the surprising semi-finalists from Rajasthan. Punjab relied on the explosiveness of point guard Talwinderjit Singh 'TJ' Sahi (21) plus contributions by Rajveer Singh (18) and Gurvinder Singh Gill (16) to win 88-70. Vinod Kumar (22) and Sharad Dadhich (18) led the way for Rajasthan in the loss.

The BFI's President K. Govindraj also made several important announcements to the press on the day of the Finals in Puducherry. The big news was that India is setting up to host two major FIBA Asia tournaments this year: the Women's FIBA Asia Championship in Bengaluru, tentatively scheduled for September, and the FIBA Asia U16 Championship for Women, for which a city hadn't been decided yet.

The tournament concluded on Saturday with one major omission: Services. After some troubles between the federation and the units, it seemed that Services and Indian Railways had found a solution with the BFI to attend the Senior Nationals. Railways eventually attended, but Services - who won the 2016 Men's gold at the Senior Nationals - were last-minute absentees.

Final Results

• Women: Kerala (Jeena Scaria 20) bt. Telangana (M. Gayatri 16, Ramya R. 15) 68-59 [14-19, 12-15, 20-17, 22-8].
• Men: Uttarakhand (Amritpal Singh 34) bt. Tamil Nadu 68-60 (23-9, 5-24, 15-13, 25-16).

Third/Fourth Place

• Women: Indian Railways (Navaneetha PU 21, Sruthi Menon 16, Madhu Kumar 15) bt. Chhattisgarh (Poonam Chaturvedi 31, Sangeeta Kaur 13) 84-77 (25-18, 17-15, 25-14, 17-30).
• Men: Punjab (Talwinderjit Singh Sahi 21, Rajveer Singh 18, Gurvinder Singh Gill 16, Arshpreet Singh Bhullar 14) bt. Rajasthan (Vinod Kumar 22, Sharad Dadhich 18, Mohamad 13) 88-70 (22-22, 23-9, 18-17, 25-22).

Final Standings

Women

• 1. Kerala
• 2. Telangana
• 3. Indian Railways
• 4. Chhattisgarh
• 5. Tamil Nadu

Men

• 1. Uttarakhand
• 2. Tamil Nadu
• 3. Punjab
• 4. Rajasthan
• 5. Kerala

2016 Youth National Championship for U16 boys and girls to tip off in Hassan (Karnataka)

Last September, heavy rainfall and controversy behind the organization marred India's premier national U16 basketball tournament - the Youth Nationals - in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. Now, over a year later, the tournament is back, a little later in the year, heading further south to Karnataka, and with hopes from the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) to purge the memories of the past and launch the new, young stars of Indian basketball.

The 33rd Youth National Basketball Championship for Boys and Girls is set to tip off in the city of Hassan in Karnataka on Saturday, November 19th. Organised by the Karnataka State Basketball Association (KSBBA) under the auspices of the BFI, 2016 Youth Nationals will feature 24 boys teams and 22 girls teams are in the eight day tournament. Last year's washout led the BFI to declare all the finalists as champions, so both the boys' and girls' divisions will be competed for between two reigning champions each: Tamil Nadu and Delhi (Boys) and Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh (Girls).

In a KSBBA press conference at the Century Club in Bengaluru on Wednesday, the BFI President and KSBBA secretary K Govindraj announced the tournament which will include, as usual, accommodation and catering for over eight hundred players, coaches, referees, officials, and invitees to the event. The matches will be conducted at three venues - the indoor and outdoor courts of the Hasanamba Stadium and the courts of the Malnad College of Engineering.

Participating Teams

Boys

• Level 1: Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh.
• Level 2: Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Puducherry, Uttarakhand, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tripura.

Girls

• Level 1: Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Kerala, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh.
• Level 2: Delhi, Odisha, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Telangana, Gujarat, Bihar, Uttarakhand.

The inauguration ceremony for the 2016 Youth Nationals is scheduled to start at 4:15 PM on Saturday at the Hasanamba Stadium in Hassan. A Manju, the Minister for Animal Husbandry and Sericulture and also District In-Charge of Hassan and Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister of Fisheries and Karnataka's Dept. of Youth Empowerment and Sports, will be the chief guests at the event.

EXCLUSIVE: Basketball Federation of India responds to UBA League ban

Last week, the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), who are the governing body of the sport in India, dropped a bombshell when they named one hundred and twenty-two players, coaches, and officials who would be banned from participating in all Indian basketball activities. The individuals banned all participated in season 3 of the UBA Basketball League, a short, independent competition, which took place in Pune last month. The BFI deemed this league an 'unauthorized competition' and their circular listed several individuals who would now not be permitted in any All India tournaments, International and National competitions within India and abroad.

The reaction to this announcement in Indian basketball circles was swift and savage. Players and fans criticised the BFI for hampering the growth of the game in India. A Change.org petition was created to urge BFI to stop the ban on UBA participants and signed by hundreds of supporters in a few days.

To tell their side of the story, I was able to connect with the BFI's Secretary-General Chander Mukhi Sharma - who had signed off the controversial circular last week - and ask him several questions via email about the reasoning behind his ban, the relationship between the BFI and the UBA, the future of the banned individuals, and the future of Indian basketball. Here is my exclusive Q-and-A with Sharma as he responds to some of the most pressing concerns of the Indian basketball family.

Hoopistani: Why did the BFI decide to revoke permission from all the players, coaches, and officials who played in the 'unrecognised competition', the UBA League?

Chander Mukhi Sharma: The BFI never revoked any permission, because we did not give permission to any participants. In a circular dated 26th June 2016 sent to all our affiliated units, we made it clear that players, coaches and officials should not participate in any unauthorised league. As the governing body of basketball in India, it is our responsibility to ensure the long-term health of the game in India.

Hoopistani: Why has the BFI not given recognition or affiliation to the UBA League even though it features several top players and coaches of India?

Sharma: The UBA never asked us for any recognition or affiliation.

Hoopistani: Does the UBA League hamper or harm BFI's vision of Indian Basketball in any way?

Sharma: The BFI does not recognise the UBA, and considers it a non-entity. We do not know the purpose and motive of the UBA, who their promoters are, and to my knowledge, they are not sports professionals. They failed at creating a professional American Football League (EFLI) in India and they came here only for their commercial venture without following any norms/procedures. An ad-hoc league with one week or less preparation of teams/players created solely with the purpose of generating television revenue will end up harming the game in the long run.

Now some of the players has made a complaint to the BFI regarding how non-transparent the UBA is, particularly they entered into the contract with the players and not given them the any copy of the contract for their record.

Hoopistani: Is the ban permanent? What do the players or officials have to do to reverse this ruling for themselves?

Sharma: The ban is not permanent. Most of the players have approached us and informed us that they went on mistake or not having the knowledge of the entire situation. Moreover, some of them feel cheated we they didn’t get the copy of their contract. Some of the players/participants had approached us through their respective state associations for revoking the ban. We will take a decision on a case-by-case evaluation of each of the players/participant.

Hoopistani: What about Indian players who play in professional leagues abroad, like Amjyot and Amrit Pal in Japan or Satnam in the USA - will they face a similar ban to those who choose to play basketball professionally in India?

Sharma: No, in their cases the players and respective promoters/teams have taken prior approval from us by submitting formal requests as well as copies of their contracts.

Hoopistani: Will the BFI refuse to recognise independent competitions like the UBA League or others in the future, or is there any chance of an agreement between the BFI and the UBA?

Sharma: If organisations follow the proper procedures we will not refuse any competitions. Regular private tournaments are held regularly throughout India and are approved via the proper channels. For example, All-India Tournaments are held by Arise Steel, Vijaya Bank, and other organizations. Most recently, PSG Club in Coimbatore held an All-India Competition who’s approval was sought through the proper channel and approved.

Hoopistani: There are several players who were caught in the political tug-of-war following the breakup of the BFI's executive committee. What should their course of action be if they want to continue making a living through basketball with the UBA but still have hopes to play in official BFI events domestically and internationally?

Sharma: There is no break up of the BFI’s Executive Committee. The BFI will not allow any player, coach or technical official who participates in any un-recognized or un-authorized competition/event, to participate in any BFI Event.

Hoopistani: Does the BFI have support from the IOA and the Indian government? If not, what are the challenges that the federation is facing as it works independently to help basketball in India?

Sharma: The BFI is an autonomous body, who runs its operations without the interference by the IOA or the Government of India. This is the same situation for all National Federations.

Over the past year and a half, the following milestones have been reached by the BFI:

- Conducted a FIBA Level 3 Certification for the first time ever, under the guidance of FIBA Instructor Nelson Isley, from the USA.
- Hundreds of FIBA Certified Grassroot basketball trainers across the country.
- Launched the Indian School Basketball League in 16 states
- Reached the Quarterfinals for both Senior Men and U-18 Men in their respective FIBA Asia Championships (first time for both in 12 years).
- Invited to numerous International Events, namely Dubai International Invitational, William Jones Cup, and Super Kung Shueng Cup.
- Senior Men won its first ever William Jones Cup game.
- In two consecutive years i.e. 2015 and 2016, FIBA has provided the BFI with the opportunity to conduct the Senior Men’s South Asian Basketball Association Championships / Qualifying Rounds in India.

Hoopistani: Will the BFI launch its own professional basketball league? If so, when, and what will be the league's specifics?

Sharma: Yes, we will be starting our own professional basketball league. Once the Indian School Basketball League is completed, we will announce the details at the appropriate time.

Hoopistani: What more can we expect from the BFI for the future of basketball in India?

Sharma: The BFI is committed and dedicated to improving the development of the game across the country. Major objectives include:

1. Create a transparent working for the basketball fraternity
2. Continue Coaching Education Programs under the guidance of FIBA Instructor Nelson Isley (USA), including identifying and training Level 3 coaches across the country.
3. Create a unified coaching structure and system
4. Continue to expand and develop the Indian School Basketball League to become the feeder system to National Teams and eventual Professional League
5. Improve the basketball infrastructure across the country
6. Already started the Talent Hunts across the country for all levels.

BFI bans 122 (!!) UBA League players, coaches, and staff from participating in official India Basketball competitions

Last weekend, one hundred and twenty-two of India's finest basketball players, coaches, referees, and support staff woke up to the bitter news that they were going to banned from participation in all official basketball activities in India and abroad. The news has since shook up the basketball fraternity in India to the core and created another fissure within the divided sport.

A month ago, the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) sent out a warning message that all players, coaches, etc participating in 'unauthorised competitions' won't be allowed to take part in official national or international basketball events. The BFI is the governing body of the sport in India and has affiliation from FIBA internationally. The primary target of their warning was the UBA Basketball League, an independent basketball competition launched a year ago and completed their third season last week.

Now that UBA's Season 3 is over, the BFI sent out another circular following up with their threat, and this time, named 122 individuals - many of whom are legends of the game or can strengthen India's current basketball programme - who will not have permission to participate in basketball activities in India or abroad.

On Thursday, August 4, BFI's Secretary-General Chander Mukhi Sharma sent out a circular to all presidents and secretaries of the BFI's affiliated units with the subject: 'No permission to the listed Players & Officials to participate in any Basketball activities in India and abroad'. The circular stated that, "You are hereby notified to ensure that the attached list of Players, Coaches, Support staff & Referees are not permitted in any All India tournaments, International and National competitions within India and abroad as they have played in an unrecognized Championship/Competition of the Basketball Federation of India."

The 'unrecognized Championship/Competition' obviously refers to the UBA. Attached to the circular was a four page list of the 122 names. These include 95 players, 17 coaches, and ten technical staff.

PDF: Here's the circular with full list of banned individuals.

Some of the Indian players now barred from representing their teams in All India championships or trying out for the national team include talents like Season 2 UBA MVP Vinay Kaushik (Delhi), Kaif Zia (Karnataka), Jagdeep Singh Bains (Punjab), Gurvinder Singh Gill (Punjab), Loveneet Singh (Punjab), Ajay Pratap Singh (Indian Railways), Akashdeep Hazra (Indian Railways), Gopal Ram (Services), Jai Ram Jat (Services), Joginder Singh (Services), and UBA Season 3 MVP Narender Grewal (Services). Interestingly, the BFI even named foreign players (who couldn't represent India in domestic/international competitions anyways) in their list, too, including Australia's Eban Hyams and Mahesh Padmanabhan and Nigeria's Chukwunanu Agu.

Well-respected and accomplished Indian coaches Prasanna Jayasankar, Ram Kumar, Jora Singh while technical staff members like Vinod Vachani are among the others now banned by the BFI. Many of the players, coaches, and staff named above have already represented India at the international level.

This was a massive step taken by the BFI and a risky power-play by their President, K Govindraj. Indian basketball is already a divided land; the BFI has broken it into further fissures and created more animosity among the fraternity.

The story behind BFI's current state is a complicated tale that would look the Triangle Offense look like  a playground shootaround. A year and a half ago, the BFI split into two executive committees - a group led by Govindraj and one led by Poonam Mahajan - in conflict for control for the governing seat of Indian Basketball. Team Govindraj eventually wrested control once they won the support of FIBA - the international basketball federation - and have since been holding both national and international events. However, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Government of India favoured Team Mahajan, and the Govindraj-led BFI hit several roadblocks over the past 16 months. The conflict eventually led to basketball at the 2016 South Asian Games getting de-recognised by FIBA since the teams India sent were affiliated to the IOA but not the BFI. In turn, in April this year, the Government of India didn't recognise basketball among the country's National Sports Federations.

Without the support of the government, the BFI has had to raise funds and hold national/international events independently. Also, the Govindraj-led BFI were cut off from IMG Reliance, the sponsors who had signed a deal to support the original BFI several years ago. As they started over, Team Govindraj and the BFI lost IMG Reliance and the Government's help to launch India's first professional basketball league.

And so came in the UBA, a company that is a partnership between foreign investors and Indian management who decided to get eight teams together out to a couple of destinations for three quick seasons of short, professional basketball. Each season has only lasted a few weeks and several of India's top male players and all women have been missing from the UBA's talent pool. Nevertheless, they were able to provide an alternative source of work to Indian players, specially those suffering in the political infighting between the warring factions of the BFI, and create hype for the game in India through televised games on the Ten Network and a strong social media presence. Most importantly, they provided struggling Indian sportsmen with their most important priority: payment.

The UBA has filled in a gap of league basketball action that the BFI weren't able to implement themselves. Instead of embracing and recognising their efforts, the BFI has instead reacted with hostility.

27-year-old Narender Grewal is an Indian sporting hero. Known for his awkward jump-shot and the ferocious appetite to score on the court, Grewal's skills earned him a spot with the Indian Air Force, the national Services basketball team, and eventually, with the Indian national squad that defeated China in the 'Wonder of Wuhan' at the FIBA Asia Cup two years ago. He played for around six years for India in various important international competitions.

Grewal joined the UBA Basketball League, played for the Pune Peshwas, and his excellent performances as the league's leading scorer earned him the Season 3 MVP trophy. However, his actions will now see him miss out on a chance to represent the country again.

"Basketball is growing in India, so it should be supported, not stopped," Grewal told me over the phone on Monday. "The UBA is not doing anything wrong. They are giving people an opportunity to play. Every season, the league is getting better. Players are making a name for themselves in India, getting exposure, and making money. It's a good thing for Indian basketball."

Grewal, who originally hails from Bhiwani District in Haryana, added that he knew very well the warnings from the BFI about playing in the league, but the political infighting between the two-opposing factions of the BFI had already hurt his career and that of many other basketball players in India over the past one and a half years. With the UBA, he could get back to what he knew best - basketball - instead of being bogged down by the politics.

"We already have problems that their are two federations in India," he added, "and if we play for one, we are annoying the other. So the biggest problem is, where do I play? So I decided to play for the UBA. I'm a player, and playing is important for me. With them, I got exposure and I got a job. BFI wants to ban all of us, but first, they need to fix their own two federations issue. Once they launch their own league, of course I would like to play for them."

Grewal brought up the example of India's stars Amjyot Singh and Amrit Pal Singh who played professionally abroad in Japan's D-League last year. They were, of course, not banned, and currently make up for Team India's formidable international frontcourt.

"I love what Amrit Pal and Amjyot have done for India and how they have made us proud abroad," said Grewal. "But if the BFI doesn't have a problem with them, then why us? Not all of us can play in leagues abroad; at least the UBA offered us an option to play in a basketball league at home in India."

Now, despite his heroics for India in the past, Grewal's future with the national team seems bleak. "As long as I'm fit and I'm given a chance, I want to play for my country. Hopefully, I get a chance again."

Grewal is just one of the over hundred individuals affected by the BFI's decision. This ban hurts all parties involved. While our national team is showing some progress at the international stage, we will miss a chance to have a deeper talent pool to provide competition for spots and lose the expertise of many experienced and talented coaches at the domestic and national stage. The ban will hurt Indian domestic basketball championships as each team will be missing several star players and the quality of basketball on-court will eventually suffer. Of course, the ban hurts the players themselves, who have had to choose between earning through basketball and having a shot at their state/unit or national teams. The next generation of young Indian players will see this conflict and be wary of making a career in the game altogether: if Indian Basketball is going to create animosity within itself every few years, then why take the risk of such an unstable and unpredictable career?

The Govindraj-led BFI has done remarkably well for itself and for basketball in India over the past year, especially in light of the antagonism they've faced from the Indian government. But in turn, their own antagonism towards the UBA is a major misstep. Waiting for a BFI Basketball League isn't enough for players/officials searching for an opportunity. Hopefully, a compromise can be reached for all basketball to peacefully coexist in the country.

Indian Senior Men’s Basketball team returns to the prestigious William Jones Cup in Taipei

Held since 1977, the William Jones Cup in Chinese Taipei is one of the most prestigious international basketball tournaments in Asia, an invitational championship that is both a source of pride and an important warm-up run for bigger FIBA Asia basketball events. After 11 long years, India Men's basketball team will finally make a return to the tournament this year.

Nine teams - a mix of international, clubs, and college - will take part in the 38th William Jones Cup International Basketball Tournament at the Hsinchuang Gymnasium in the city of Taipei from 23 to 31 July. The matches will be played in a round robin league format, with each team playing 8 matches. The team with the best record will be crowned champions.

This tournament will give India the opportunity to gain valuable exposure ahead of the 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge, which is set to be held in Iran next month. The Indian lineup remains largely unchanged from the team that won the SABA Qualifiers earlier this month in Bengaluru, except for the return of star forward Amjyot Singh and the inclusion of Tamil Nadu’s Prasanna Venkatesh. Amrit Pal Singh will again take the captain's mantle for India and will be joined in the flanks with star Vishesh Bhriguvanshi. The team will be coached by Sebastian Padipurakkal Joseph.

"Being a prestigious tournament, the Indian men’s team got an invitation from the Taipei Basketball Association," said K Govindraj, the President of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) during the kit distribution ceremony at the Kanteerava Stadium Complex in Bengaluru earlier this afternoon on Thursday, "This will be excellent exposure for all our players who can correct themselves keeping in mind the upcoming FIBA Asia Challenge." Also present at the ceremony to convey his best wishes to the departing contingent was newly appointed Superintendent of Police & Director, Youth Empowerment & Sports Department, Bengaluru, Anupam Agarwal.

"It is going to be a great opportunity for us to prepare for the upcoming FIBA Asia Challenge," said Assistant Coach CV Sunny, "In all our positions, we have excellent depth and our chances are bright, so we can definitely put up a good fight against all the teams."

Participating Teams: Egypt, Iran, India, Japan, Korea, Mighty Sports (Philippines), California State University (USA), China, China B.

Indian Squad for the 38th William Jones Cup 2016

• Arshpreet Singh Bhullar
• Amjyot Singh
• Vishesh Bhriguvanshi
• Amrit Pal Singh Captain
• Basil Philip
• Rikin Pethani(
• Aravind Annadurai
• Arvind Arumugam
• Ravi Bhardwaj
• Akilan Pari
• TJ Sahi
• Prasanna Ventakesh
• Head Coach: Sebastian Padipurakkal Joseph
• Coach: CV Sunny
• Physiotherapist: Navaneeth Atholi Thiruvoth
• Manager: Chengalraya Naidu Talipinani

This is an impressive-looking Indian squad, and the addition of Amjyot can definitely help India achieve something special. Amjyot and India's captain Amrit Pal played last season for Japan D-League's Tokyo Excellence and helped guide them to a third-consecutive title. The last time Amjyot donned India colours, he was one of the top performers at the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship finishing among the top 5 in scorers (20 ppg), and among the top ten in rebounds (8.3 rpg), blocks (1.1 bpg), efficiency (+17.1), and freethrow percentage (73.1 FT%). India has an interesting core of youth (Ravi Bhardwaj, Arshpreet Bhullar) and experience (Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, Prasanna Venkatesh). Explosive point guard TJ Sahi continues his return to the national scene. Talented young big men like Rikin Pethani, Aravind Annadurai, and Bhardwaj will also make India one of the longest teams at the tournament. India has long needed this type of exposure tournaments before bigger FIBA Asia clashes - the William Jones Cup will provide the team with the perfect platform to fine-tune their chemistry and cause some shocks at the Asian stage.

Team India's Schedule - All timings IST

• India vs California State University – 23rd July, 12:30 PM
• India vs Japan – 24th July, 12:30 PM
• India vs China – 25th July, 4:30 PM
• India vs Korea – 26th July, 12:30 PM
• India vs Egypt – 27th July, 10:30 AM
• India vs Mighty Sports – 28th July, 10:30 AM
• India vs China B – 29th July, 10:30 AM
• India vs Iran – 31st July, 10:30 AM

The schedule, as you can see, is relentless. All the teams will play in eight games in nine days, which is sure to take a toll on the players by the end of the tournament. On paper, India is the lowest rank national team, and the other squads from the USA, Philippines, and China will also prove to be huge challenges for the Young Cagers. Hopefully India can avoid injuries, post a respectable finish, and be in decent health and form for the FIBA Asia Challenge next month.

The William Jones Cup is a prestigious annual invitational tournament, the inaugural edition of which was held in 1977. The Cup was conceived and named to honour Dr. Renato William Jones, who served as one of the founders of FIBA and served as its first Secretary General for 44 years. Iran is the tournament's defending champion, while the team from the USA has been the most successful in the competition, with 15 gold medal finishes. The last time the Indian men’s team competed at the William Jones Cup was way back in 2005. The Indian Women's team, however, played in the 2011 and 2012 editions of the Cup.

Indian School Basketball League is set to tip off in 16 states across India in August 2016

After a gap of one year, India's biggest official school basketball tournament - the Indian School Basketball League (ISBL) is set to make a return to 16 states around the country from August 2016. In a special press conference in Bengaluru on Thursday, the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) announced that this season's ISBL will play out approximately 1,856 matches over a 2-3 month period, culminating in a National Finals to be held in one of the participating states/cities. The 2016 season will only feature the ISBL; the Indian College Basketball League (ICBL) continues to face its hiatus for now.

In a press conference headed by President K Govindaraj, Secretary-General Chander Mukhi Sharma, and Senior Vice President Teja Singh Dhaliwal, the BFI announced that the 2016 edition will create a structured, self-sustaining, pan-India School League, which will serve as the platform to increase organised basketball participation at grassroots level and subsequently become a talent development/feeder system for the Indian National Teams. Eventually, the aim is for this league to also become a talent development platform for the future Professional Basketball League in India. This decision was taken after the Steering Committee of the BFI met on July 6 to finalize the details of the league.

Participating States in the 2016 ISBL: Punjab, Chandigarh. Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, West Bengal, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram.

In each state, 12 to 16 teams for each gender will be divided into four groups (in 2014, 24 cities took part). For some states, this year of the league will focus on teams from just one city, while others will bring in talent from many different cities in the state. Each team will play home-and-away system within their own group. The top 2 teams from each group will play a State Final, and the winner will eventually be invited to the National Championship. The prize money is set at Rs. 1 lakh in each participating state.

In a press release, the BFI announced that creating a hierarchical system of basketball participation that starts with the school leagues will be key to the long-term growth of basketball across India. To ensure the sustenance of the leagues, it is imperative to start small, focusing on the high basketball potential cities, perfecting the operations while showing its value and potential to the community, and then slowly transitioning to pan India leagues which include newer basketball cities. The leagues will also serve a vital role in development of school basketball infrastructure and ancillary basketball disciplines as programs will be implemented to develop all areas of the game through this platform.

The 'bottom up' approach is of course different from the UBA Basketball League, who brought together interested players from All India College Championships to a quick launch and are already in their third season. The BFI, who have recently barred UBA players from participating in official national/international basketball events, are taking the big picture, long-term approach to build their way up to a professional league in India. But the start-stop nature and unreliability stemming from BFI's recent conflicts have slowed this process even further. Hopefully, the launch of this massive grassroots programme that the basketball in India is back on the mend from the ground up.

In the press release, the BFI also announced the implementation of the new FIBA Competition System, and the tentative schedules for future national basketball championships. The 33rd Youth National Basketball Championship will be held in Hassan (Karnataka) in November 2016 and the 67th Senior National Basketball Championship will be in Pondicherry from January 7-14, 2017.

India to host South Asia Qualifiers for 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge in Bengaluru: Full Roster and Preview

Over the past year and a half, Karnataka's capital city Bengaluru has also become the capital of Indian Basketball, as the new executive committee of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) has shifted the federation's head office down south from New Delhi. Now, once again, Bengaluru is set to play center-stage and host, as the city's famous Sri Kantaveera Stadium will host the South Asian qualifiers for the FIBA Asia Challenge Cup from July 6-8. India's senior men's basketball squad, the defending champions of these qualifiers, will set out to defend their title in a round robin league format against Nepal, Bangladesh, and Maldives.

India's 12-man roster for these qualifiers has also been announced, which will be captained by Punjabi big man Amrit Pal Singh and coached by Sebastian Padipurakkal Joseph. The detailed anouncements regarding this regional competition were made by BFI President K Govindaraj at a press conference held on Sunday, July 3rd at the Karnataka Olympic Association building within the Kanteerava Stadium complex in the city.

After the round-robin tournament, the team with the best record at the end of this championship will progress from the South Asian region to the 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge scheduled for 9th to 18th September in Tehran, Iran. A round robin tournament is when each team will face every other team in the tournament once, and the final standings will be based on win/loss statistics. The South Asian Basketball Association (SABA) serves as a sub-zone qualifier for the FIBA Asia Challenge.

The 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge is the second step in the qualification process for the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup, which will be the first continental cup that will see participants from both Asia and Oceania. The FIBA Asia Cup (starting in 2017) was previously known as the FIBA Asia Championship and the FIBA Asia Challenge (starting in 2016) was previously known as the FIBA Stankovic / Asia Cup. These changes were decided on at the second meeting of the 2014-19 FIBA Asia Central Board which took place in New Delhi on 30th-31st January 2016.

India has won three of the last four editions of these qualifiers, with Bangladesh scoring a victory in 2013 when India did not participate.

Tentative Fixtures (Subject to Change)

• July 6: India vs. Nepal - 5 PM
• July 6: Bangladesh vs. Maldives - 6.30 PM
• July 7: Nepal vs. Bangladesh - 5 PM
• July 7: Maldives vs. India - 6:30 PM
• July 8: Maldives vs. Nepal - 4:30 PM
• July 7: India vs. Bangladesh - 6 PM

"From accommodation to the indoor playing facility, all the arrangements have been made for the players and coaches to ensure a successful conduct of the event," said Govindraj, "Additionally, entry is free because we want to encourage youngsters to come and watch the matches."

India’s training camp had begun at Kanteerava, Bengaluru on 22nd June with 30 players, and the final selections were made on 26th June. The Indian squad will feature a mixture of youth and experience, and captained by center Amrit Pal Singh, who has returend from winning Japan's NBDL championship with Toyko Excellence. Also returning to the Indian team is guard Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, ONGC veteran forward Yadwinder Singh, high energy point guard Talwinderjit Singh 'TJ' Sahi, and guard Arjun Singh. Other familiar faces are guard Akilan Pari, centre Rikin Pethani (both Income Tax, Chennai), Basil Philip (Central Customs & Excise, Kochi), power forward Arvind Arumugam (Vijaya Bank, Bengaluru) and center Aravind Annadurai (Indian Overseas Bank, Chennai). Promising shooter Arshpreet Bhullar (Punjab) and big man Ravi Bhardwaj (Chandigarh) will make their senior team debut at this tournament. Missing from this tournament will be India's star player Amjyot Singh, who is currently in Japan.

Team India for SABA Qualifying Round 2016

• Arshpreet Singh Bhullar (Punjab)
• Arjun Singh (ONGC)
• Vishesh Bhriguvanshi (ONGC)
• Amrit Pal Singh (ONGC) - Captain
• Basil Philip (Customs and Central Excise)
• Rikin Pethani (Income Tax)
• Aravind Annadurai (IOB)
• Arvind Arumugam (Vijaya Bank)
• Ravi Bhardwaj (Chandigarh)
• Akilan Pari (Income Tax)
• TJ Sahi (Punjab)
• Head Coach: Sebastian Padipurakkal Joseph
• Assistant Coach: CV Sunny

Federation-League Basketball Drama: BFI won't allow UBA participants to represent India in national / international teams

In a division that recalls the BCCI/ICL Cricket rift almost a decade ago, playing or taking part in 'unauthorized' basketball events in India is going to cost you an opportunity to represent India's national teams. The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) sent a circular last week clearly stating that any players, coaches, officials, and technical staff taking part in any unauthorized basketball events in India will be ineligible to participate in national/international events in any capacity. These 'unauthorized events' include the rapidly-growing UBA Basketball League, which features several players with international experience or on the cusp of the national team.

The BFI, who are the governing body of basketball in India and are affiliated with FIBA (the international basketball federation) sent the circular titled 'Non-Participation in Unaffiliated Events / Competitions / Leagues' to all presidents/secretaries of affiliated BFI units around the country on June 26. The circular clearly warns the presidents/secretaries from ensuring that their players/officials do not participate in any unaffiliated basketball events in the country:

Therefore it is requested to all of you that please ensure no player, coach, official, or technical staff of your state should participates [sic] in any unaffiliated basketball events / competitions / leagues etc. If any player, coach, official, or technical staff participate [sic] in any unauthorized/unapproved event, he/she will not be eligible to participate in any National and/or International Event, in any capacity (as per the FIBA Statutes & Internal Regulations "Players who participate in professional leagues must be registered with organizations which are affiliated to a national member federation; otherwise they will not be able to participate in the Competitions of FIBA.") Under the FIBA Statutes & Internal Regulations, Rules and Regulations pertaining to National Events fall under the responsibility of the Basketball Federation of India. Hence it is requested to you to please ensure that any player, coach or official do not [sic] participate in any unauthorized event/competition/league.
If any event/competition/league (including the UBA) is authorized by the BFI, it will be communicated to you immediately.

The circular was sent from the desk of BFI President K Govindraj and signed by Secretary-General Chander Mukhi Sharma.

The BFI is not wrong in following the rules of the FIBA Statutes: the UBA, which has completed its first two seasons over the last two years, hasn't yet been authorized, and thus, will be considered unaffiliated for BFI or FIBA events.

But it is the BFI's decision to authorize the UBA, and if they refuse to do it, several young players, coaches, referees and more will be effected. There is little money in basketball in India. The BFI itself has failed in launching their own professional basketball league. The UBA's existence has made it possible for players etc. to seek professional basketball opportunities and make a deserving salary from the game. But now, seeking that salary will effect their chances at the ultimate goal: representing their state or their country at official national and international events.

UBA's Season 3 is set to begin on July 15, and the league will feature several experienced or promising male players in Indian basketball. Players in the national team circuit like Narender Grewal, Joginder Singh, Akilan Pari, Vinay Kaushik, and Gurvinder Singh Gill played in Season 2 of the UBA League, while big name coaches like Prasanna Jayasankar, Shiba Maggon, and more took charge on the bench. Some of these players, like Joginder and Narender from Services, were invited to the BFI's national coaching camp before the circular went out, but either chose to not join the camp or were told by their units not to. The BFI circular takes a stand that if any others participate in Season 3, they will not be allowed to return to participate national/international events for India.

Joginder Singh, who was India's starting point guard for our memorable triumph over China at the 2014 FIBA Asia Cup, played for the Hyderabad Sky in the UBA's second season. He refused to comment on the BFI's latest circular, but he did show concern for his future. "I just want to play basketball," he told me. "But if circumstances stop me from playing, then what can I do?"

The BFI had released a similar circular a year ago when the UBA League had first launched, but this time around, they have clarified the definition of 'unaffiliated events', and directly addressed the UBA.

A professional basketball league could revolutionize hoops in India. The BFI's much-anticipated league continues to be delayed, and with no professional options, I do not blame players from seeking to play for short-term, smaller leagues like the UBA. The UBA Basketball League isn't perfect, but it is certainly a good option and it fills in an extremely important void in Indian basketball. It is a pity, then, that players making the most of this opportunity will be penalized or forced to choose between country or a pro-league.