Iran Bombing: Indian Basketball Team in Qatar "is safe" confirms BFI; World Cup Qualifiers postponed
Basketball Federation of India is coordinating with the External Affairs Ministry & others to ensure the contingent's safe return.
The Indian men’s national basketball team is currently unable to leave Qatar, after the Iran bombing escalated tensions across the region, which led to the closure of multiple airspaces.
The situation heated up following military action involving Israel and the United States against Iran on Friday, prompting Iran to launch retaliatory missiles targeting U.S. military bases and other sites across the Gulf countries, including in Qatar.
FIBA Postpones Remaining Games
The Indian team had travelled to Doha earlier this week to compete in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers. India played its opening game of Window 2 against Qatar on February 28.
The team’s next game was scheduled for March 3 against the Lebanon men’s national team in Beirut. However, due to the intensifying war-like situation, that game has now been postponed.
In an official statement, FIBA confirmed that all Group C and Group D games scheduled for March 2 and 3 have been postponed due to the security risk.
“FIBA remains in close contact with the National Federations concerned and is taking necessary measures with respect to the safety and security of teams, officials and staff involved in those games,” the statement read.
BFI Confirms Indian Team’s Safety
The federation said that it is coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Embassy of India in Doha to ensure the players’ safety and get them back home as soon as possible.
“The safety and welfare of the Indian contingent remains the highest priority for the Basketball Federation of India. We are closely monitoring the situation and remain in regular communication with the team management, relevant authorities, and international basketball bodies,” BFI said in a statement.
BFI extended its gratitude to the Qatar Basketball Federation for providing support and assistance to the Indian contingent during the ongoing crisis.
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