Europe 1 with AFP 00:19, April 19, 2023
Another blow for Russia and Belarus. The two national teams will not be allowed to participate in the pre-qualification tournaments for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. A ban announced by the International Federation on the recommendation of the IOC.The basketball teams of Russia and Belarus have been banned from participating in pre-qualification tournaments for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the International Federation (Fiba) announced on Tuesday. "In accordance with the IOC's recommendations on the participation of athletes with Russian or Belarusian nationality in international competitions published on March 28, the FIBA Executive Committee has decided not to allow the registration of the national teams of Russia and Belarus in the FIBA 2023 Olympic pre-qualification tournaments," the body said in a statement. "Bulgaria, having thus become the best non-qualified European nation, will be the last team to have the right to participate," it said.
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Draw scheduled for May 1
These pre-qualification tournaments, which are scheduled to be drawn on May 1, are scheduled to take place from August 12 to 20. Two European teams of the sixteen selected among those who are not qualified for the 2023 World Cup will obtain a ticket to the real qualification tournament. As a reminder, the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to international federations regarding the reinstatement of Russian and Belarusian athletes invited not to retain "teams of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport".