Russians are returning to international basketball: what exactly did FIBA allow?
2 September 05:55
The Executive Committee of the International Basketball Federation has revised the restrictions imposed following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
From now on, select representatives from Russia and Belarus may participate in competitions organized under the auspices of FIBA. This is stated in an official press release from the federation, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
The decision applies to:
- basketball players;
- coaches;
- referees;
- game commissioners;
- other officials;
- 5-on-5 basketball;
- 3×3 basketball.
The authorization took effect immediately upon the decision’s adoption.
What exactly did FIBA allow?
Russian and Belarusian players have been granted the right to participate in all FIBA tournaments as individual athletes. Representatives from these countries may also once again be appointed as referees, commissioners, and other officials at international competitions.
In practice, the decision primarily paves the way for athletes and coaches from Russia and Belarus who play for or work at approved clubs in other countries.
Will the Russian and Belarusian national teams return?
The national teams of Russia and Belarus remain suspended from international tournaments for the time being.
Furthermore, the decision does not imply an automatic return of Russian and Belarusian clubs to FIBA’s European club competitions.
The Federation plans to separately consider the possibility of admitting:
- men’s and women’s national teams;
- youth and junior teams;
- clubs from Russia and Belarus;
- 3×3 basketball teams;
- participants in the 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers.
Specific decisions are to be made at the FIBA Central Board meeting in December 2026.
Thus, the statement regarding Russia’s full “return to international basketball” is currently premature.
Why the decision is linked to the 2028 Olympics
FIBA attributed the review of the restrictions to decisions by the International Olympic Committee on May 7 and July 7, 2026.
In May, the IOC recommended completely lifting restrictions on Belarusian athletes, particularly in team sports. This allowed them to compete under the Belarusian flag and with the Belarusian national anthem, Reuters reported.
In July, the IOC temporarily reinstated the membership of the Russian Olympic Committee. Following this, some international federations began reviewing their own sanctions decisions.
FIBA is set to establish a qualification system for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Therefore, the federation aims to determine by December whether Russian and Belarusian teams will be able to participate in the qualifying tournaments.
What conditions might be set for national teams?
FIBA has stated that decisions regarding the teams will be made after consultations with the IOC, the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, and representatives of other team sports.
Before the national teams can potentially return, several issues must be resolved:
- the safety of players and fans;
- the willingness of other national teams to play matches;
- the selection of host countries for the games;
- visa issuance;
- the use of flags and national anthems;
- adherence to the qualifying schedule;
- anti-doping testing;
- the participation of Russian laboratories and sports authorities;
- possible boycotts by national federations.
FIBA specifically mentioned the need to establish an appropriate anti-doping program. Its parameters are also scheduled to be agreed upon by the December meeting.
When Russia and Belarus Were Suspended from Basketball
The restrictions began to be implemented in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, for which Alexander Lukashenko’s regime provided Belarusian territory and infrastructure.
Russian and Belarusian national teams and clubs lost the opportunity to participate in FIBA tournaments. The suspension also extended to officials.
Over the following years, the federation extended the restrictions several times. At the end of 2025, Russia and Belarus retained their status pending a new review in 2026.
The first exception was the admission of Russian and Belarusian U21 teams to select conferences of the FIBA 3×3 Youth Nations League in China and Malaysia. FIBA made this decision in April 2026 in accordance with the IOC’s recommendations regarding youth sports.
Ukraine had already opposed the return of the teams
In June 2026, the Ukrainian Basketball Federation, together with the federations of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, and Sweden, opposed the participation of Russia and Belarus in FIBA 3×3 tournaments.
In a joint statement, the federations highlighted security, ethical, and organizational risks. They also emphasized that Russia’s war against Ukraine is ongoing and that Belarus continues to support Russian aggression.
The text of the statement was published by the Ukrainian Basketball Federation.
At the time this article was prepared, there had been no official reaction from the Ukrainian Basketball Federation (UBF) to the FIBA Executive Committee’s new decision.
