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.

12 Indian youngsters selected for NBA Asia-Pacific Elite camp in China

Over the past few years, the NBA has opened elite basketball academies in Australia, China, and most-recently, India, to tap into the youth basketball potential in these regions. Now, the NBA plans to bring together the cream of the crop of the selected few players for a short, special training camp.

The NBA will hold an fourth Asia-Pacific elite basketball training camp in Hangzhou, China, from June 18-21 this year. The camp will feature 73 young boys and girls from China, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, and India, too. 12 players from the NBA Academy India in Greater Noida will be heading to Hangzhou for this camp for the first time.

The 12 Indian players have been shortlisted from the 21 resident players currently at the NBA Academy India. The Academy only opened earlier this year and the first crop of players selected are all male.

The Selected Indian players for the Asia-Pacific Training Camp are: Robin Banerjee, Vivek Chauhan, Jagshaanbir Jhawar, Sejin Mathew, Shanmugam Murugan, Riyanshu Negi, Suraj Pathak, Preshit Pawar, Prashant Rawat, Parth Sunil Kumar Sharma, Princepal Singh and Manoj Singh Sisodiya.

Further details via The Times of India:

In the advance training camp that is held once in two years since 2011, seasoned NBA players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities on and off the court, including movement efficiency, positional skill development, shooting and skills competitions, 5-on-5 games and daily life skills seminars focusing on health, leadership and communication.

"Competitions and playing in a competitive environment are a critical element in the development of young athletes. These trips to China and Australia will not only challenge the athletes of NBA Academy India competitively, but also provide them vital international exposure, contributing to their all-round growth as individuals," NBA-India's managing director Yannick Colaco told TOI.
Current NBA players Malik Beasley of Denver Nuggets, Andrew Nicholson from the Brooklyn Nets and Garrett Temple of Sacramento Kings will guide the campers. They will join former WNBA player Zheng Haixia, NBA assistant coaches Ryan Bowen, Charles Klask, Bob Thornton and FIBA coach Ronald Cass to train the campers. At the conclusion of the camp one boy and a girl will be named as Asia Pacific Team Camp MVPs.

The camp will also include a variety of NBA cares community outreach efforts with youth in Hangzhou in partnership with local community organizations.

 Hopefully an Indian player can return home next week with the MVP award!

Basketball Without Barriers – FIBA to finally allow headgear like turban and hijab in the international game

This article was first published in my blog for The Times of India on May 4, 2017. Click here for the original piece.

Three years ago, India’s national basketball team had one of its greatest moments in history. On July 13, 2014, at the FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan, China, India – ranked 53rd in the world – did the unthinkable: they defeated China – Asia’s top-ranked squad – for the first time in over seven decades of international basketball. I was in the stands at the Wuhan Sports Centre Gymnasium, one eye on my computer screen live-blogging this historic game, the other eye staring at the court in disbelief. Soon, the moment went viral and arguably became Indian basketball’s biggest cause for celebration.

But this isn’t a story about that day. This is a story of July 12, just 24-hours prior to making history, when the same Indian team created news in a completely different way, sparked an infamous controversy for the Switzerland-based International Basketball Federation (FIBA), and propelled a crusade that took over three years to resolve.

On July 12, 2014, India’s coach Scott Flemming prepared his team for the first game of the tournament against Japan. Minutes before tip-off however, I noticed that two of India’s most important players – the giant Punjabi duo of Amjyot Singh Gill and Amritpal Singh – were missing from the starting line-up. It turned out that FIBA officials at the game had summoned a controversial policy – the “No Headgear” rule – and withheld the two turbaned Sikh players from entering the game. On the sidelines of a major international basketball contest, Amjyot and Amritpal had to take off their turbans, open their hair, and tie it back together with headbands and rubber-bands. It was awkward moment, Amjyot told me after the game, but for the sake of the team, the two players pleaded to return and play. The team never recovered from the funk and lost by 23 points.

Like most Sikh players, Amjyot and Amritpal had become accustomed to growing their hair long, practicing basketball, and playing in international and domestic games with their turbans. But, according to Article 4.4.2 of FIBA’s Official Basketball Rules, headgear like turbans, hijab, or yarmulkes were considered injurious and banned. Another Indian Sikh player, Anmol Singh, was forced to remove his turban at the FIBA Junior Asian Championship in Qatar a month later. Around the same time, Qatar’s women’s basketball team pulled out of the Asian Games in South Korea because the ban asked them to play without their hijab.

The response to FIBA’s close-minded policy – which considered harmless religious headgear a hazard to the game – raised concern with activists and policy-makers around the world, including protests by top American lawmakers. Soon, FIBA announced their decision to review this policy, and in early 2017, recommended a change in the rule at their annual board meeting.

Good news finally arrived at FIBA’s Mid-Term Congress in Hong Kong this week: the congress of 139 national federations unanimously ratified the board’s decision for a new rule that will now allow players to wear headgear. The rule was developed with caution to minimise risk of injuries and preserve consistency of colour of the teams’ uniforms. It will come into effect from October 1, 2017, which is soon, but not soon enough: the big FIBA Asia tournaments for Women and Men this year will be held in July and August.

This is a smart, progressive step by FIBA. Basketball is not a game that belongs to a single culture anymore. There are star players and new avenues to the game all around the world, and changing this institution will help basketball grow in more communities.

However, there is a poignant afterthought to this story. Let’s return back to Amjyot and Amritpal, back to July 2014, and that championship in Wuhan that thrust India into international news for the wrong and the right reasons. A day after adjusting their hair, the two players ended up being the main difference-makers in India’s win over China. Amjyot led all scorers in the game with 13 while Amritpal played suffocating post defence on China’s top players, including future NBA-draftee Zhou Qi.

But even the thrill of victory couldn’t wipe away the sour taste of this experience. To avoid becoming a distraction for the national team again, both Amjyot and Amritpal cut their hair short a few months later. The two bigs have since continued on their path to success, playing professionally in Japan, participating in an Australian league draft combine, and teaming up to defeat China again last year.

Amjyot and Amritpal will be in the forefront of the queue of a long line of talented Sikh basketball players in India, most of whom have been the product of the same basketball academy in Ludhiana, Punjab. As India prepares for the FIBA Asia Cup this year, names like NBA draftee Satnam Singh, NBA D-League draftee Palpreet Singh, and veteran forward Yadwinder Singh will all be vying for roster spots.

Several other international sports, like football and volleyball were ahead of the curve in allowing acceptable headgear; it took an uphill battle, but basketball – finally – seems to have caught up. In the past, all of the Indian Sikh players mentioned above chose to avoid controversy and cut their hair off for basketball participation. In other parts of the world, women players in hijab and Jewish players have faced similar forks in the road between career and religious practice. Looking forward, talented athletes around the world will hopefully not have to make that decision again.

The company of giants

India has made basketball history without their most popular basketball player. Now, as Satnam Singh returns to the national team, could he lead the team to further greatness?

This article was first published in my blog for The Times of India on April 21, 2017. Click here for the original piece.

Years before he made history by becoming the first Indian player to be drafted into the NBA, Satnam Singh was asked to punch far above his weight. He was a 15-year-old giant when he was selected to make his debut for India’s men’s national team in 2011 by head coach Kenny Natt. Natt had decided to inject some youth and size into the men’s roster for the Middle Asia Zone qualifiers in New Delhi. Satnam was to become the youngest-player to ever don a Senior India basketball jersey, but a couple of other teenage Punjabi talents – Amjyot Singh Gill and Amritpal Singh – were picked to make their senior debuts, too.

I was present at the Thyagraj Stadium for that qualifying round – Natt, Satnam, Amjyot, and Amritpal’s first senior international outings – when India showed glimpses of their future potential with comfortable wins at home against South Asian opponents. Later that year, this team headed to China for the FIBA Asia Championship and underperformed, but the seeds of the future had been sown. In these three teenagers, India had found the size they were looking for.

Fast forward nearly six years, and the Indian basketball side finds itself in much better shape. Natt provided the spark, which was lit brighter by his successor Scott Flemming, and it continued to shine even after Flemming’s departure. Over the last few years, led by Amjyot, Amritpal, star shooting-guard Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, and a deep supporting cast, India has twice defeated Asia’s top-ranked team China in international competitions, and most recently, had their best basketball performance in nearly three decades with a 7th place finish at the 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge in Tehran.

Although we have improved on various fronts, the true key to unlock this ‘golden era’ of sorts has been the maturation of our bigs. Amjyot (25 – 6-foot-8) and Amritpal (25 – 6-foot-10) have become one of the most formidable frontcourts in Asia, and their talents have taken them to play professionally in Japan, declare for the NBA’s D-League, and be invited to the NBL Draft Combine in Australia. Right behind them, players like Palpreet Singh Brar and Rikin Pethani have given us depth in that frontcourt, too: Palpreet (23 – 6-foot-9), in particular, has improved rapidly and became the first Indian to be drafted in the NBA D-League last year (although he never earned a roster spot). Veteran forward Yadwinder Singh (30 – 6-foot-6) is still an important part of the national team and impressed at the NBA Combine recently in Australia, too.

The only one missing from the equation has been Satnam (21 – 7-foot-2), the young man who became the poster boy of Indian basketball when he was drafted to the NBA by the Dallas Mavericks in 2015. Satnam, who was recruited to play at the IMG Academy in the United States as a 14-year-old in 2010, hasn’t played for India since 2013. Instead, he has spent the last few years improving his skills in the USA and playing for the NBA D-League team Texas Legends.

His absence has allowed Amjyot, Amritpal, and Palpreet to blossom into stars and India has, ironically, made basketball history without their most popular basketball player.

In a few months, it is all set to change. The 2017 FIBA Asia Cup – Asia’s most-prestigious basketball championship which will feature top teams from Oceania for the first time – is set to take place in Lebanon in August. With Amjyot, Amritpal, and Bhriguvanshi already in top form, India were looking poised to make some major noise and significantly improve their low FIBA World Ranking (currently 53rd). But earlier this week, the BFI announced that Satnam will be returning to the national team after a four-year hiatus. If all the available players are healthy, India will have its best-possible pool of talent to choose from for Lebanon.

The reunion of Satnam with Amjyot, Amritpal, and Yadwinder, alongside the younger wave of big men in contention like Palpreet, Pethani, Arvind Arumugam, Aravind Annadurai, and Ravi Bhardwaj have given India a sudden embarrassment of riches in the power forward and center positions. Counting the backcourt, only twelve can make the final roster for the FIBA Asia Cup; whoever will be appointed the team’s head coach (the last man in charge was Bhaskar Sappaniambalam for the Super Kung Sheung Cup in Hong Kong) will have the headache of sifting through these company of giants to pick six for Lebanon.

Furthermore, the coach will have to decide if he will continue to start with the successful duo of Amjyot and Amritpal and relegate Satnam – he of worldwide hype and NBA D-League experience – to the bench.

My pick for the starting five will be to stick with Amjyot and Amritpal; between the two of them, they have given India incredible frontcourt versatility over the last three years and formed a close bond from playing together in Japan. Amritpal, an elite post defender, plays closer to the basket on both ends of the floor. Amjyot has developed into a threat from both the perimeter and the post and helps space the floor for Amritpal in the middle. Satnam is a solid rim protector, can finish from inside and out and is stronger than both Amjyot and Amritpal. But he is slower on his feet and inexperienced with the national team.

At the FIBA Asia Challenge last year, India defeated Philippines and China to enter the Quarter-Final stage, where they were stopped by eventual winners, Iran. Iran featured Hamed Haddadi, the 7-foot-2 behemoth dominant center, who tormented India with 17 points and 23 rebounds in this crucial game. It will be in situations like these, going against elite strong players in the post, where Satnam’s presence will be most valuable, and India’s depth at the big man position will give us a fighting chance.

The bigger problem for India, however, is going to be in the backcourt. While Bhriguvanshi has proven to be one of the finer Asian players in his position, India have no other players who can consistently challenge to match the talent and athleticism of other international guards. Expectations will be high for TJ Sahi, Akilan Pari, and rising youngster Baladhaneshwar Poiyamozhi, but without better perimeter options, the Indian lineup will remain flawed.

Despite this unbalance, one of the secrets to India’s recent success has been the team’s chemistry and comfort-level with each other. My hope is that Satnam can intermingle his game smoothly with our other top players without disturbing this chemistry. The best-case scenario for India will be if he can master the delicate equilibrium between being at his individual best while playing within the team system.

All of Asia and Oceania’s top qualifying teams – China, Philippines, Iran, Japan, Lebanon, Australia, and New Zealand – will be sending their best-possible rosters for the prestigious tournament this year. With Satnam, Amjyot, Amritpal, Vishesh, and Palpreet on the roster, India may have, on paper, our greatest team ever. Could they lead the national team to further greatness?

The thrill of the chase – Following basketball in India

This article was first published in my blog for The Times of India on April 12, 2017. Click here for the original piece.

The opposition has possession of the ball and they’re dribbling down the court. You are on defence. Strict man-to-man, which means that you shouldn’t lose your cover under any circumstance. Your guy is playing off-the-ball. Follow him as he runs from baseline to baseline. Fight through the screens they set for him stick by his side. Keep your eye between him and the basket you are deputised to protect. Block the passing lanes.

Your man is a dangerous offensive talent. Lose him and you have lost the possession. You will sweat and you will lose your breath. You will bump and fall and struggle to keep pace. You will suffer – and you will have a little fun.

True Indian basketball fans are like that hassled defender, who suffer and chase and almost-impossible target, settling for unexpected rewards in small victories. Unlike the IPL in Cricket, the ISL in Football, the Hockey India league, or even the Pro Kabaddi League, there is still no singular answer for where to catch the best of Indian basketball: instead fans must follow an annual wild goose chase from month to month in hopes of finding the best competitions and following in the footsteps of their role models.

I have been covering Indian basketball for nearly eight years, and the two most common questions I have been asked in this period have been a) There’s such a thing as basketball in India? and b) Where do we follow it? The answers are a) yes, of course, and b) it’s complicated.

Without a year-long, full-sized professional league and little mainstream coverage of our national teams, most of the Indian basketball community exists online, whispering and conspiring in silent ascension on Facebook to what has now become, according to the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), the fastest-growing sport in the country.

That growth, however, is not uniform. I don’t need to worry about the tangled knots of electricity wires outside my house as long as I get electricity. But in Indian basketball, the power is in following those wires itself. There go the Senior Nationals, flashing past with the best from all four corners of the country. Whoosh past the UBA League, featuring a mixture of Indian and international basketball stars. Lean far east for the rising national league in Mizoram to see the marriage between grassroots and worldwide hoops.

Take the example of Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, one of the most talented players in the country and a recent representative for India’s national men’s team as they were nominated for Times of India’s Sports Awards team of the year. For Bhriguvanshi, life is spent on the road: in September, he led India to a historically-successful performance at the FIBA Asia Challenge in Iran. In October, he was in an ONGC jersey playing at the FIBA Asia Champions Cup in China. In December, he carried India to a best-ever third-place finish at Hong Kong’s Super Kung Sheung Cup. In January, he helped Uttarakhand win the Senior Nationals gold in Puducherry. In February and March, he played his first season at the UBA Basketball League for the Bengaluru Beast in Chennai and Goa. Back with ONGC, he helped them win a fifth-consecutive gold medal at the Federation Cup as MVP in Coimbatore. Next, he is heading to Mizoram for a short ‘Super League’. Later in the summer, he will join India’s national camp – most-likely at NIS Patiala – for the FIBA Asia Cup in August in Lebanon. And so on and so forth.

Staying on Bhriguvanshi’s toes will be an impossible task even for the most astute fans, especially with limited national broadcast opportunities for basketball in India. The top domestic events in India, like the Senior Nationals or the Federation Cup, are shown sporadically on DD Sports, with programming saved only for the final stages of the tournament (if at all). The arrival of the UBA League in 2015 has been a boon of sorts, providing a few months of daily basketball action live on Ten Sports. India’s international performances – much improved over the past few years – are rarely ever shown on domestic television. The plight is even worse for women’s basketball, who don’t even have the equivalent of the UBA League to broadcast their exploits.

Until Indian basketball finds a more consistent competition and broadcasting opportunities, fans are more likely to flock to the NBA, the best basketball league in the world out of North America. Most Indian fans recognise Stephen Curry and LeBron James over Vishesh Bhriguvanshi and Amjyot Singh. Their game is too fleeting to follow, so fans understandably take the easier – and more spectacular – international option.

Fortunately, some positive change is on the way. Later this year, India will be hosting two major FIBA Asia tournaments – for Senior Women and Youth (U16) Women – in Bengaluru and Hyderabad respectively. Both these events will give fans a chance to see India’s top players of the present and the future, and follow the best basketball players in the continent.

In the road ahead, fans will also be hoping for the BFI to launch its own professional Indian league where games can be held around the country longer through the calendar year, providing more opportunities for the players to play and for the fans to watch them. India has serious basketball culture in various pockets, from Ludhiana to Kochi and Varanasi to Mumbai. Hopefully, the league will make the chase for elite Indian hoops action a breath easier.

Your opponent has the ball. Don’t be distracted by his eyes or expressions – he could look one away and pass another. Watch the ball, watch his feet. Block a clear view of the shot. Be ready for everything.

You are defending a mysterious and unpredictable opponent. Basketball in India doesn’t yet have a streamlined pro league (like the IPL) or international exposure (like Team India’s other national sides). Keep your guard up; for now, half the fun is in the thrill of the chase!

I'm now blogging for The Times of India Sports, too

My first job out of college was with The Times of India's Varanasi edition, where, without any previous academic experience in the subject, I learned the tenants of small-town journalism on the field. There were only four of us writers in the city and we got just about a couple of pages of work every day. I had to cover almost all corners and catch almost every beat. It was one of the greatest learning experiences of my life. I still remember the thrill of seeing my name in print, domestically and nationally, playing a very, very small role in the nation's most-read English newspaper.

Almost a decade later, the journey took a bunch of tangents, and has now come full circle.

With their intentions to provide more mainstream media attention to alternative (non-cricket) sports in India, The Times of India Sports has given me a platform - named, aptly, 'Hoopistani' - to blog about Indian basketball. It will be another chance to follow my work for updates and opinions on the sport.

My first post was published earlier this week, where I wrote about the elusive thrill of the chase of following Indian basketball as a fan.

Thanks for following!

William Jones Cup 2016: Taiwan visa error costs 2 Indian stars multiple games

After an 11-year gap, India's Men's national team's return to the prestigious William Jones Cup in Taiwan has been a bit of a mixed bag so far. India named their strongest-possible team out of the available pool, but still started the tournament with three consecutive losses. But the 0-3 record looks harsher than it should: India's first loss to California State University was to a miracle three pointer with 20 seconds left in the game and their third loss to Taipei Blue happened in overtime after a neck-to-neck contest. Even without a single win, India have announced their arrival as one of the most improved teams in the continent and a force to be reckoned with at next month's FIBA Asia Challenge.

Alas, India's close call losses early in this tournament now come burdened with an unfortunate - and frankly ridiculous - asterisk. On Monday, The Times of India reported that two of India's crucial players - captain Amrit Pal Singh and swingman Basil Philip - failed to fly to Taiwan with the rest of the team on Friday because of a visa blunder by the Embassy of Taiwan. TOI's Payal Dhawani reported that the Taiwan Embassy swapped the photographs of Amrit Pal and Philip in their visas. The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) only learnt of this gaffe on Friday evening, hours before the flight to Taiwan.

Without their captain and defensive stalwart Amrit Pal, and without the scoring ability of Philip off the bench, India have still played well behind the talents of Amjyot Singh, Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, and TJ Sahi, but the team didn't have enough juice to close out some of the close games. Amrit Pal and Philip are expected to miss one more game on Tuesday against Korea and will hopefully rejoin the squad after their visa troubles have been sorted for Game 5 on Wednesday against Egypt.

Amrit Pal spoke of his distress to The Times of India on Monday, while BFI's Secretary-General Chander Mukhi Sharma had stronger words to add, alleging that Taiwan purposefully tried to hold back Indian stars from making it to the William Jones Cup. Via The Times of India:

Photo Courtesy: Ekalavyas.com

A distressed Amritpal told TOI, "I was going to play in my first William Jones Cup and was very excited. Now, I am really disheartened that due to negligence of the embassy, I could not reach Taiwan. The entire team is in Taiwan except for me and Basil."
"Since (Saturday) morning, the federation is trying to get the visa issue resolved."

Meanwhile, the BFI suspects it to be a deliberate act on the part of Taiwan embassy since both Amritpal and Basil were strong players of the Indian team. Talking to TOI, Chander Mukhi Sharma, the secretary general of BFI, said, "Due to the fault of Taiwan embassy two of our important players Amritpal Singh and Basil Philip could not go for the William Jones Cup in Taipei. The federation will certainly file a formal complaint to Fiba on this."
Sharma further alleged, "This could also be a deliberate act to make our team weaker. I will get the documents on Monday. After discussing this with the federation a plaint will be lodged against the embassy."

Sharma has made a strong allegation, and it will be interesting to hear FIBA's reaction to BFI's complaint about this error. Whether it was a 'deliberate act' or not, the Embassy of Taiwan has clearly caused Team India unnecessary troubles, and may have even cost us a win or two.

UPDATE: Taiwan diplomat rejects India's accusations, blames travel agency.

Responding to accusations made by BFI's Secretary-General Chander Mukhi Sharma, Taiwanese diplomat in New Delhi Tien Chung-Kwang told China Post on Tuesday that Amrit Pal Singh and Basil Philip's mix-up was caused by the local travel agency that the BFI used, and not the Embassy of Taiwan.

Via China Post:

Tien Chung-kwang said the travel agency used by India's national basketball team to arrange the trip used the wrong pictures of two players in their visa applications, leading to the problems.

According to the diplomat, the travel agency sent information on all of the players headed to Taiwan to his office on July 20 to process visas, and their visas were issued the following day.
But the travel agency realized afterwards that it had switched the photos of Singh and Philip on their original applications, and quickly sent revised files for the two players to the office just before it closed on July 22, Tien said.
The new visas could not be processed in time to allow the players to catch a flight to Taiwan that night, leading them to miss India's opening game in the Jones Cup on July 23.

The William Jones Cup is supposed to be a crucial preparatory tournament ahead of the bigger FIBA Asia tournaments. It's a pity that, while India has performed well, they haven't been rewarded with the morale-boosting victories that they could have clinched with Amrit Pal and Philip. Hopefully, the two players will rejoin the squad safely and will be ready for tomorrow's game. India have four more matches at William Jones over the next five days, and a big victory or two will considerably raise the team's confidence level for the FIBA Asia Challenge next month.

Basketball Federation of India pledges financial support to the family of Satnam Singh, first Indian drafted to the NBA

The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) has pledged a monthly stipend to support the family of Satnam Singh, who became the first Indian citizen drafted into the NBA earlier this year.

K. Govindraj, the president of 'Team Govindraj' faction of the BFI*, met Satnam along with members of NBA India on Monday, October 26, pledged Rs. 50,000 a month to Satnam's family. Satnam Singh hails from a farmer's family from Ballo Ke village in Barnala district of Punjab. The 19-year-old made history earlier this year by becoming the first Indian national to be drafted into the NBA, the world’s most competitive and elite professional basketball league in North America.

*(The BFI divided into two opposing factions with two executive committees and two different presidents earlier this year, Team Govindraj and Team Mahajan. Team Govindraj is currently running domestic and international events and have the backing of FIBA, while Team Mahajan is fighting for the BFI with the intervention of the Indian Olympic Association).

Explaining the reasoning behind this decision, Govindraj said, "By overcoming numerous obstacles, Satnam has immensely contributed in putting Indian basketball on the world map, and continues to bring positive attention to the sport within India. Even though he is still very young, he has already shown himself to be a capable role model for other Indian youth to aspire and realise their full potential."

Satnam has represented India's junior and senior national teams in the past. In this regard, he clarified his earlier comments on his availability to play for the country (he criticized Indian basketball infrastructure to The Times of India and mentioned that he wouldn't play for the national team right now). Satnam informed, and the NBA confirmed, that while his focus is on representing the NBA team who drafted him - the Dallas Mavericks - and its Developmental League affiliate Texas Legends, with enough advance notice he will be privileged to don national colours as long as it doesn’t conflict with his NBA commitments.

Good for Satnam and his family: his achievements totally deserve recognition and support. However, the BFI should consider saving some of those funds to develop grassroots basketball in India so more players can follow in Satnam's footsteps.

Slumdog Champion: Basketball is transforming the life of a girl from Karnataka's slums

In the last episode of our Hoodarshan podcast, our guest - NBA India's Carlos Barroca - told us that one of his favourite things about coaching basketball in India is how the game has become a complete equalizer. "Rich or poor, basketball for all," Barroca said. Those of us who have seen some of India's top players emerge from dire financial backgrounds over the years already know this to be true. And now, the story of 14-year-old Nasreen Makandar from the Vijaypura slums in the Bengaluru district of Karnataka, is another example of how basketball can change the life of young talents in the country.

Makandar - the daughter of a former truck driver and a beggar - used her basketball talents to qualify for Karnataka's under-16 team. That team went on to win the gold medal at a national-level school tournament recently held by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports at the Sports Authority of India stadium in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Karnataka had defeated Punjab in the final to secure the win. Now, the Karnataka State Basketball Association (KSBBA) have extended their support to help Makandar get through her education and basketball career.

The Times of India story by Sangamesh Menasinakai last week recalled Makandar's unbelievable story:

Her father Khajamiya was a truck driver but quit his job 16 years ago after three heart attacks. Her mother Khajabi begs on the streets of Vijayapura and gets about Rs 300 and some food items like jowar rotti and rice. They have nine children, including seven girls. Nasreen, a class 9 student of the Anjuman High School, said she would watch sports and games at the Darbar High School ground. "My sisters Gousiya and Heena are division-level winners in basketball and they encouraged me a lot," she said. She's the first girl from Vijayapura district to win a gold medal at the national-level tournament. She would like to take the UPSC examination. "I would like to become an IPS officer," she added.
She added that a government scholarship has helped her buy textbooks and uniforms.

The story evoked a positive reaction from K Govindraj, the secretary of the KSBBA and one of the contesting presidents of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), who offered - again via The Times of India - support to Makandar and her family.

"We are for promoting basketball and fostering talent This tournament was not part of the Basketball Federation of India schedule. But the girl has performed well and deserves to be encouraged. We will take care of her education and sports career," Govindraj told TOI, while exhorting Nasreen's parents to get in touch with him.

Hopefully, Govindraj is able to deliver on his words (the media records will certainly hold him to it!). Despite her basketball talents, Makandar has shown admirable ambitions to succeed in academics, too, and in the long run, we hope that whatever direction she chooses brings stability to her and her family. Another reason to love basketball, truly a game that can bring joy to anyone, regardless of their background or social conditions!

Poonam Mahajan becomes the first woman president of Maharashtra State Basketball Association

Poonam Mahajan - a Member of Parliament from Mumbai North Central and a politician of the BJP - was voted in unanimously as the new president of the Maharashtra State Basketball Association (MSBA) during the Annual General Meeting of the association on Sunday, January 18th. Mahajan becomes the first women to be MSBA president in the association's 65-year history, reported The Times of India.

Mahajan succeeds outgoing MSBA president Jaidev Shroff to the post, who now becomes the MSBA's chairman. The previous chairman of the MSBA was M Venkatesh.

Mahajan told The Times of India that her plans for the MSBA include providing support for the players and improving basketball infrastructure in the state.

"It is quite amazing to see basketball being played across all villages in Maharashtra. Basketball has been my favourite sport since childhood and I am very fortunate to lead MSBA," she said.

"The challenges are enormous but with my experience, I will be able to meet them. It will be my endeavour to take the game to even greater heights with the help of all my colleagues in MSBA."

Maharashtra has some of the richest basketball culture in all of the country, featuring well-organized district, state, college, and school tournaments as well as playing host to some of India's best national invitational tournaments, like the Savio Cup and the Ramu Memorial Basketball Tournament. Kudos to Mahajan for breaking a gender barrier in the MSBA fraternity, but how much sense does it make to hand someone with no basketball playing/operational experience (except for it being her "favourite" sport) to lead the basketball association of the entire state?

Basketball in Maharashtra has not been without its turmoil over the past year. In November, the MSBA faced protest from several district associations from the state in the form of a letter requesting for a removal of MSBA officials for causing irregularities, miscommunication, and the misuse of power. That letter was sent to the media by Shatrughan Gokhale, the secretary of the Nagpur District Basketball Association. After the most recent AGM on Sunday, Gokhale was named one of the five vice-presidents of the MSBA.

Team India Women's coach Francisco Garcia to hold basketball clinic in Nagpur

Since he was hired as the new Head Coach of India's senior women's team about 18 months ago, Francisco Garcia has picked up an intimate understanding of the basketball structure in India and the requirements to help propel the national squad to greater heights. Now, the coach out of Spain will be heading out on the field and into the grassroots to Nagpur to help burgeoning basketball talent in the city and potentially scout more young players to represent India at the international stage.

As part of The Times of India's 'Nagpur for Kids' campaign, Garcia will be at the 'Orange City' in Maharashtra from January 9-13. The coach is scheduled to hold activities with city kids on January 10th and then guide selected players at the Shankar Nagar-based Dharampeth Krida Mandal (DKM) courts on January 11-12. The selected players will take part in four training sessions during these two days, at the end of which, Garcia may recommend the top players to be selected for national basketball camps by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI).

The programme is a unique initiative of the BFI to identify talented players at the grassroots level. The special clinic materialized due to the efforts of the BFI's CEO Roopam Sharma, the Nagpur District Basketball Association (NDBA), The Times of India, and DKM officials. Last year, India's Men's Head Coach Scott Flemming conducted similar clinics in Nagpur.

Garcia has 20 years of club basketball coaching experience in Europe, and helped lead Team India Women to a best-ever fifth-place finish at the FIBA Asia Championship for Women in 2013.

Goa Basketball Association asked players, public to help fund Youth Nationals participation

The state of Goa isn't exactly a basketball powerhouse in India, with little success to show at the national level for decades and barely any talents to crack the Indian international stage. For the last few years, hoops in India's favourite beach destination have also been in disarray, and it was only the recently revamped Goa Basketball Association (GBA) that gave the state's best players and fans some hope for the future.

Note: The photographs used in this post are from previous
 tournaments

Unfortunately, without official recognition from the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) - who fund all the state's team at national sporting events - the GBA had to devise their own methods of raising money to send Goa's Under-16 boys and girls basketball teams to Chandigarh this week for the 31st Youth National Basketball Championship. Goa has indeed arrived in Chandigarh for participation at the tournament, and they have done so by asking their own players and the supporting public to find sponsors for the two teams.

According to a report by the Times of India, all probables who took part in the selection trials for the youth nationals were handed an appeal, signed by senior president Namy Jain, to collect sponsors that could fund their participation, totalling approximately Rs. 75,000.

Via The Times of India

The expenses involved train travel to Chandigarh for two teams and officials, daily allowances for two days and kit. Once the team reaches Chandigarh for the Nationals, the Basketball Federation of India will take care of their lodging and boarding.
"The participation of the state teams at the Nationals does involve an expenditure on kit, allowances and travel. We make a sincere appeal to you to contribute for this good cause and help the young budding talent of Goa to bloom further," states the appeal from Namy Jain.

"This comes as a surprise to me. I do not think it is fair for the players to contribute financially towards their participation in the national championship," said GBA president Fr Ralin de Souza.

Since the new committee led by Fr Ralin -- director at Don Bosco Oratory in Panaji -- took over in September last year, two teams have been deputed for National championships with the managing committee ensuring there were enough funds in the coffers. The managing committee undertook a sponsorship drive of their own, organized a state tournament that drew maximum participation and managed to save a little.
"Now, the association finances are in the red," admitted Fr Ralin, while still wondering how the 'senior president' -- elected and approved without the managing committee's knowledge -- could ask players to contribute.

Goa already has two associations fighting to become the 'official' recognized basketball body in the state, the GBA - recognized the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) - and the Association of Goan Basketball (AGB) - affiliated temporarily to the Goa Olympic Association. Furthermore, now there seems to be divide among the GBA itself. And in this pointless tussle for power at the top, the biggest victims are the Goan basketball players, who have already suffered decades of mismanagement that have left their careers unfulfilled. Now, a new generation of players, the best of whom are in Chandigarh for India's top under-16 basketball tournament, have also become the victims of a bureaucratic struggle, to the extent that they even have to worry about financing their own basketball exposure.

Return of the FIBA/Headgear controversy: India's Anmol Singh forced to remove turban at U18 FIBA ABC

The 'No Headgear' policy of FIBA (the International Basketball Federation) has sparked another controversy involving a Sikh basketball player for Team India. This time, the ruling effected Anmol Singh, the only turban-wearing player of India's junior squad that is currently participating in the FIBA Asia U18 Championship in Doha (Qatar).

The Times of India reported yesterday that under-18 rising star Anmol was made to remove his turban during warm-up of India's first game in Doha against Qatar. In their second game against Malaysia, Anmol was allowed to play with his turban for the first 10 minutes, before FIBA officials asked him to remove his turban again.

In a chat with TOI from Doha, national U-18 coach Jora Singh said, "Anmol was not allowed to play with a turban during our opening game against Qatar when the team was warming up. Today, he was allowed to play with the patka in the first quarter, but later on was told to remove it. Anmol then tied his hair with a small band and continued to play."

(via Times of India)

The latest incident occured a little over a month after FIBA forced two of India's senior team Sikh players - Amrit Pal Singh and Amjyot Singh - to remove their turbans in accordance with their 'No Headgear' rule in Wuhan (China) during the FIBA Asia Cup, a controversy that sparked the #LetSikhsPlay movement and since forced FIBA to review their ruling.

Currently, Article 4.4.2 of FIBA’s Official Basketball Rules states, "Players shall not wear equipment (objects) that may cause injury to other players," a list that includes headgear like turbans, hijab, etc.

The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) submitted a formal request to FIBA regarding the initial incident in Wuhan soon after, FIBA promised to review Article 4.4.2 during the FIBA World Congress, set to be held on 28-29 August in Sevilla (Spain) during the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Unfortunately, until the 214 members of FIBA Central Board meet next week and decide on the future of this rule, FIBA's officials on the ground will be compelled to continue following the set rules.

But the BFI claim that there had been a misunderstanding regarding Anmol Singh at the FIBA Asia U18 Championship, which ultimately led Anmol removing his turban - or patka - particularly in Game 2 against Malaysia. "The FIBA Commissioner who was assigned to supervise the match initially had no objection and allowed Anmol Singh to play in the first quarter of the game with his patka, which is a religious right of the Sikh community," said the official BFI statement, "The basketball rule says that player shall not wear equipment or object that may cause injury to other players while playing. The patka is made of thin cloth which does not cause injury to anybody, as Sikh athletes are wearing in other team games. We are surprised that why this discrimination by FIBA Asia is being repeatedly imposed on Indian Sikh athletes representing the country at international level."

The Hindu has reported that India's Union Sports Ministry has also sought intervention from the International Olympic Commission (IOC) to resolve the issue.

The BFI questioned the discrimination in basketball when other team games like volleyball, football, hockey, handball and cricket had no restriction on Sikh players wearing the patka.

The BFI's CEO Roopam Sharma has been nominated to attend the FIBA Congress in Spain to resolve the issue once and for all and "avoid such humiliation in future".

6-foot-10 Anmol, who plays backup Power Forward/Center for India, scored 10 points in India first game loss to Qatar. The next day, he played 16 minutes against Malaysia and shot just 1/4 for two points in the game. Nevertheless, Team India overlooked the distraction to bounce back and defeat Malaysia 73-64 in the contest.

Unfortunately, a day later, India were whooped thoroughly by China by 60 points and Malaysia scored a surprise victory over Qatar. With India, Qatar, and Malaysia all tied for second place in Group A, it was India that were knocked out because of their inferior point differential.

On court, India's juniors will be disappointed by this early exit: Qatar were a beatable side and the margin of defeat to China shouldn't have been allowed to run that wide. Hopefully the young players can recover from the setback and bounce back stronger.

Off the court, hopefully FIBA can bring an end to this whole senseless controversy next week. We need common-sense prevails over rudimentary thinking, so we can get back to basketball instead of worrying about whether a little bit of cloth covering someone's head could ever be a "threat". Especially if that bit of cloth has such a deep-lying significance to the culture and religion of the targeted individuals.

India finalizes Junior Men's team for U18 FIBA Asia Championship

Nearly a month ago, India's Junior Men's squad trumped South Asian opponents Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on home soil to qualify for the U18 FIBA Asia Championship. The championship was scheduled to be held in Doha (Qatar) from August 19-29, and India's juniors were set to further hone their game through a preparatory camp at the SAI Center in Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

But a lot has changed over the past few weeks, and with a reshuffle at the training camp, India has confirmed several new faces to represent the national squad for the FIBA Asia championship. But now, the setting of the championship itself has been changed, creating a haze of uncertainty for the squad as they prepare for the tournament.

Photo courtesy: Ekalavyas

Head Coach of India's Senior Men's team Scott Flemming was busy with the seniors and wasn't involved in coaching the under-18s qualifying triumphs in Bengaluru last month. But after guiding the National Senior side to a seventh-place finish at the FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan a few weeks ago, Flemming lent some of his time to the juniors, attending the camp in Aurangabad, and contributing to several changes in the final roster.

As Amit Sampat reported on the Times of India yesterday, Flemming's changes to the squad came as a reaction to India's performances in the qualifiers, particularly their struggles in the win over Sri Lanka. After a strenuous seven-day session with the probables - reported Sampat - Flemming along with other national selectors finalized the team with four new players.

Here is India's U18 Roster for the FIBA Asia U18 Championship

• Samson Sandhu Singh (Maharashtra)
  
• Narender (Delhi)
  
• Gaurav Ohlan (Delhi)
  
• Sunil (Delhi)
  
• Gurvinder Singh Gill (Punjab)
  
• Anmol Singh (Punjab)
  
• Akashdeep Hazra (Punjab)
  
• Dildar Singh Brar (Punjab)
  
• Arshpreet Singh Bhullar (Punjab)
  
• Pardeep (Haryana)
  
• Akhil AR (Kerala)
  
• Mahipal Singh (Rajasthan)
  
• Head coach: Jora Singh
  
• Coach: Paramdeep Singh
  

Via The Times of India:

On the seven-day work out Flemming said, "I was able to work with our U-18 national team last week. There are some good individual players in this team. It is a matter of continuing to work together and becoming one unit on both ends of the floor. We are trying to find a good balance of fast break basketball while still being patient in our half court offense."

Satisfied with the progress he added, "As with our senior team, defense is the key though. When the shots aren't falling they can always play good defense and rebound the basketball. I think they are making some good progress."

Samson Sandhu Singh, Akhil AR, Arshpreet Singh Bhullar, and Akashdeep Hazra are the new names added to the squad. Prudhvi Reddy - the trail blazer who honed his game in Barcelona, Spain before returning to India for the U18 SABA Qualifiers - was omitted from the squad. Top performers like Mahipal Singh and Gurvinder Singh Gill returned to the final 12 and will have the responsibility of being the team's leaders.

But instead of heading out to Qatar next week, the team will now undergo one more preparatory camp. This is because Qatar Basketball Federation pulled out as hosts of the tournament a few days ago, and now, FIBA Asia is in search for a new host for before announcing a new location and dates for the championship.

In Mumbai, a battle to save the Andheri YMCA basketball court

It seems that the days are numbered for the famous Andheri YMCA basketball court. Back in April this year, the YMCA announced a plan to replace the basketball court with a swimming pool. Although the YMCA has clarified that the court’s shutdown will only be temporary and it will return – new and improved – when the YMCA area has been refurbished, many regular players are skeptical and fear that their daily dose of hoops could be lost forever.

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