Karnataka State Basketball Association president K Govindaraj.
Credit: DH File Photo
The Basketball Federation of India issued a show cause notice to Karnataka State Basketball Association, on Tuesday evening because the State association ‘hindered’ the participation of Karnataka’s Sub-Junior basketball team in the recently held 48th Sub-Junior National basketball championship in Puducherry.
In the wake of the tussle between the two factions (current BFI president Aadhav Arjuna and outgoing president Govindaraj), the Under-13 boys’ and girls’ teams were scratched out of the roster at the last moment though the latter were champions last season. In fact, they were felicitated by KSBBA on Sunday.
This decision to leave out the teams from the Nationals by the KSBBA came on August 3. It must be noted that at this point the existing BFI body was not yet recognised by the international federation of basketball (FIBA). In fact, the formal recognition of the body only came in the afternoon hours of August 7.
That said, a still-to-be-recognised BFI body decided that they would issue a show cause notice to Govindaraj and his association on August 5 in the aftermath of their General Body meeting.
“How can they issue a show cause notice or decide to issue one because they weren’t even recognised at the time (August 5)?” asked K Govindaraj, the president of the KSBBA, in a reaction to DH on Tuesday night. “See, we didn’t send a team to the Nationals because they were unrecognised at the time. We were ready to fly them out or send them out by sleeper buses to Puducherry. That’s why I delayed the announcement, to give them more time.
“I would have sent them out with my own money,” he added. BFI’s release from earlier in the day, however, suggested a different tale.
“…we have been receiving complaints from the parents of the sub-junior players of Karnataka that you had in fact conducted camps for the said championship, but however, you had changed your mind towards the end and did not permit players to participate in the said championship. As a member of BFI, you are obliged to the various rules and regulations of BFI and you are duty bound to work towards the interest of the players and to promote the objectives of BFI.”
“So what if we miss one championship? Is it a crime if we don’t play one championship? We didn’t send them only because the body, at the time, was not recognised. We were looking out for the children,” insisted Govindaraj.
“In fact, I called and wished them well after they were officially recognised by the FIBA because all I want is for the game to grow. Also, I am the FIBA Asia president so why would I concern myself with petty matters such as this? This is sport, this is not politics.”