Russia basketball teams barred from world championships, risking Olympic qualifying – Home of the Olympic Channel

Teams of Russian basketball players have been barred from upcoming mens, womens and 33 world championships due to the war in Ukraine.

FIBAs announcement Wednesday was an extension of its indefinite ban on Russian teams from March.

The first affected tournaments are the mens and womens 33 World Cups in Belgium next month.

Russian Olympic Committee teams won silver medals in the mens and womens 33 tournaments in Tokyo in that events Olympic debut.

Russian players are also barred from the FIBA Womens World Cup in Australia in September.

Russia and Belarus were also withdrawn from qualifying tournaments for next years FIBA Mens World Cup.

That at least dents, if not ends altogether, their hopes of qualifying for the 2024 Olympic mens basketball tournament. FIBA has yet to respond to a request for clarification on how it impacts Olympic qualification, which is largely dependent on participation in the latter stages of 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifying.

Russia didnt qualify full mens or womens teams for either of the last two Olympics. It won Olympic bronze medals in 2012 (men, led byAndrei Kirilenko) and 2008 (women, led byBecky Hammon).

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Russia basketball teams barred from world championships, risking Olympic qualifying - Home of the Olympic Channel