Super League Basketball (SLB) has reached a formal agreement with basketball’s world governing body FIBA to oversee domestic competitions in Great Britain, bringing an end to the suspension that sidelined the men’s national team.
FIBA had previously suspended the British Basketball Federation (BBF) over governance failures that raised questions about the sport’s regulatory structure. That move barred the men’s national side from international play while a taskforce examined “regulatory non-compliance” across British basketball.
The dispute began earlier this year when the BBF handed a 15-year licence for a new professional competition, the Great Britain Basketball League, to GBB League Ltd, a consortium led by US businessman Marshall Glickman. The group promised an investment of £15 million over its first two years, but the existing nine SLB clubs rejected the tender process, calling it “illegal and unjust”, and refused to take part.
Under the new arrangement, FIBA has entered a “direct recognition agreement” with SLB to safeguard the operation and governance of top-tier men’s basketball while the BBF remains suspended. The move is designed to preserve stability in the domestic game and restore confidence among clubs and players.
“This agreement provides a framework for the organisation and governance of domestic competitions while safeguarding regulatory integrity,” FIBA said in a statement. The governing body added that it would continue to work with the BBF, UK Sport, and the UK Government to help rebuild a self-sustaining national federation.
The decision also lifts the ban on Britain’s men’s team, allowing it to return to international competition for the first time since the suspension.
Sanjay Bhandari, interim independent chair of SLB, called the announcement “transformative” after what he described as a challenging period for British basketball.
“FIBA’s recognition means our plans to develop SLB as a high-growth sports organisation can now move forward quickly,” he said. “We look ahead with excitement as we work with FIBA, UK Sport, and the UK Government to deliver the success this sport deserves.”
The outcome marks a critical turning point for the domestic game, signalling renewed unity and a chance to rebuild the structure of elite British basketball on stronger ground.
Crano Sports 
Leave a comment