FIBA suspends British Basketball Federation and bans men’s team amid governance crisis
FIBA has suspended the British Basketball Federation (BBF) and banned the British men’s national team from senior international competition following a two-month investigation into alleged governance failings.
The world governing body announced the decision on Wednesday, citing “regulatory non-compliance” and structural dysfunction within British basketball. The move marks FIBA’s first suspension of a national federation since Russia and Belarus were barred in 2022.
A FIBA taskforce, established in August, reviewed the BBF’s operations and found “apparent governance issues” affecting the licensing and oversight of national men’s competitions. After a series of interviews and meetings with UK basketball stakeholders, the taskforce presented its findings to the FIBA Executive Committee.
In a statement, FIBA said:
“Following a comprehensive review of the situation, the Executive Committee has decided to temporarily suspend the British Basketball Federation’s authority to license or recognise national men’s competitions and to field a men’s national team in FIBA senior competitions, pending resolution of the current governance issues.”
The taskforce has been authorised to work directly with basketball stakeholders and the UK government to propose an interim operational framework for the men’s top-tier competitions. FIBA said the measures aim “to restore regulatory integrity and promote sustainable governance of men’s basketball in Great Britain as soon as possible.”
Under the suspension, the BBF is prohibited from organising or sanctioning national men’s leagues and cannot enter its senior men’s team into any FIBA events. The decision follows a disappointing EuroBasket campaign, where Great Britain finished bottom of their group, winning just one of five matches. The team had also skipped qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The crisis deepened further as BBF chairman Chris Grant resigned on Sunday, citing “personal reasons” after three years in charge.
The federation is also mired in a dispute over the licensing of a new domestic competition. In April, an American-led consortium was granted a 15-year licence to launch the Great Britain Basketball League, pledging £15 million in initial funding. However, clubs from the existing Super League Basketball refused to join, claiming the tender process was “illegal and unjust” and filing legal action against the BBF.
The Super League has since begun its 2025/26 season independently, operating outside the BBF’s regulatory framework — a situation that FIBA cited as symptomatic of deeper governance breakdowns within British basketball.
