We’ll have some game highlights later on. But first, to the game behind the game –one Belize almost lost today – and in fact, could still lose – a game in which Belize almost got played by FIBA Headquarters in Switzerland.

As we mentioned in our Friday night newscast – on Thursday, the FIBA Secretary General in Switzerland Patrick Bauman sent the Belize Basketball Federation a letter indicating that seven of the players were ineligible to play. Those seven are the Belizean Americans, all of them not born in Belize – but born to Belizean parents.

FIBA wrongly determined that they are naturalized citizens, even when the constitution of Belize makes it clear that anyone born to a Belizean parent anywhere in the world is a Belizean by descent. Now, FIBA rules are that only one naturalized citizen can be on any national team – and by their misreading(!) of the Belize constitution, we had seven. Wrong! But they make the rules and so....Belize’s team left for Cancun on Sunday under a cloud of uncertainty.

The matter was still not resolved at a technical meeting last night in Cancun at which Belize’s position was explained by attorney Godfrey Smith who was asked to accompany the team. After that meeting, he told Keith swift what he tried to explain to the Mexican organizers.

Godfrey Smith, Attorney Belize Basketball Federation
“The organizers here are saying that the final decision will still rest with headquarters in Geneva. As you know, the issue is it appears that therye’ questioning a number of players in the basis that they are naturalized Belizeans and under FIBA internal regulations, each national team is only allowed one naturalized player. As you know, the players are not naturalized players, they are players who have their nationality by descent by virtue of having their parents being Belizeans.”
“It seems to me that the person in charge that the person who is responsible to make the decisions on eligibility of players has not been paying attention to the issue because the certificates of nationality of all the players have been sent to the proper authorities and if they spent a moment to look at it they would see that it doesn’t say nationality by naturalization, it says clearly nationality by descent.”
"The constitution of Belize says it doesn’t matter if you’re born outside of Belize prior to Independence or after Independence provided that your parents are Belizeans. So they are Belizeans udne3t the law. And that dopes not conflict with FIBA regulation. FIBA Regulations allow for it. The issue is over the question of naturalization. As I said it’s clear beyond any doubt whatsoever that the gentlemen are not Belizeans by naturalization.”

But Smith’s breath was wasted with the tournament organizers because, again, the decisions are made in Switzerland. And so all of this morning in Cancun the team’s management waited for word for Switzerland and none came. Assuming no news is good news they went ahead to the Poliforum Benito Juarez to get ready for the game which had a 1:00 pm tip-off time. The team was already on the court well into its pre-game warm-up when lead tournament organizer Enrique Basulta showed up with a list saying which players could and couldn’t play. He arbitrarily included Milton Palacio and Alex Carcamo – who had been earlier been ruled ineligible by FIBA.

The Team’s management led by President of the Basketball Federation Paul Thompson objected vehemently, arguing that the team determines its roster, not the tournament organizers - and it’s either that all will play or none will play. Now all this was unfolding just minutes before the game....

With pressure mounting and the 1:00 pm tip off time having passed, the organizers agreed to let the game play under protest, and the organizers warned Belize that even if it plays and wins, all of the results can end up not counting – and even if it wins, it can be stripped of the championship if it turns out that the payers are indeed ineligible.

Of course, they aren’t; all are Belizeans either by birth or descent and are all eligible – in fact two of the players whose nationality is being challenged, Milton Palacio and Alex Carcamo have played for Belize before in multiple FIBA-sanctioned tournaments.
That point that has been made formally to FIBA in a four page official letter from the Government’s Legal Advisor, Gian Ghandi.

But so far to no avail – and the battle over eligibility is still unsettled as Belize prepares for its second game Guatemala which will tip off at two pm tomorrow from Cancun. Incredibly, checks this afternoon showed that Belize’s name and the schedule for all the games has been removed from the tournament website which is hosted by FIBA. That indicates to us that none of the results will count even if the games are played.

Again, very disturbing – but we confirmed late this evening that the Prime Minister will personally call the FIBA Secretary General to outline the position. He will also ask the Ambassador To the European Union Joy Grant to try to bring the matter to a suitable resolution. We’ll keep you posted.