MOSCOW — Almost a year after Moscow’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, the governing body of basketball is denying that it has recognized the territory as Russian.
The Russian Basketball Federation included a Crimean club in its third-tier league last year despite protests from its Ukrainian counterpart, which insists Crimea should remain under its jurisdiction.
Following reports in Russia that international federation FIBA had approved the move, FIBA told The Associated Press that "no decision has been taken" and that it is encouraging negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian bodies.
In soccer, Russia included three Crimean clubs in its leagues but was later forced to reverse that move by European federation UEFA.
