FIBA, the international governing body of basketball, has chosen to ban Russia men's basketball from the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. On Tuesday, FIBA announced that Russia would not be allowed to participate in the qualifying tournament this year.
In its announcement, FIBA cited the International Olympic Committee's recommendation that Russia and Belarus be prohibited from participating in team sports in 2024.
"Following the IOC recommendations on the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport in international competitions published on 28 March, the FIBA Executive Committee has decided to not allow the registration of the Russian men's national team in the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments 2023," FIBA said in its press release.
Bulgaria will take the place of Russia at the Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament this summer.
Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine last year, FIBA has suspended it from international play. Now, neither Russia nor Belarus will be sending basketball teams to the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The last time Russia sent basketball teams to the Olympics was at the 2012 Games in London. The men's team won bronze, and the women's team finished fourth.
While athletes from those countries won't be able to participate in team sports, the IOC has laid out plans that would create a path for individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate under a neutral flag.
