Basketball: Tamil Nadu pull out of FIBA West Asia Super League due to India-Pak conflict

Tamil Nadu, the South Asian Basketball Association Club champions, have pulled out of the 2025 FIBA West Asia Super League Final 8 due to the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan.

"After over 12 hours of waiting at the airport with no available flights, along with the closure of more than 30 airports, it has become clear that the team's participation in the event is no longer possible," read a statement from FIBA.

"As a result, we regret to inform you that all scheduled games involving Tamil Nadu are hereby cancelled," it further read.

Tamil Nadu had qualified for the West Asia Super League Final 8 by being crowned the South Asian Basketball Association Club champions last month and were due to fly to Lebanon for the competition.

They were drawn in Group B alongside the likes of Shabab Al Ahli, Tabiat Basketball, and Al Qadisa SC.

Tamil Nadu's unfortunate last-minute withdrawal meant that the tournament commenced with just three teams in Group B.

"Group B of the Preliminary Phase of the competition will now feature only three teams – FIBA WASL Gulf League 2024/25 champions Shabab Al Ahli of UAE, Iranian club Tabiat and Al Qadsia of Kuwait," the FIBA said.

Tensions between bitter neighbours India and Pakistan heightened after five armed terrorists gunned down 26 civilians in a ghastly attack on 22 April, 2025.

Two weeks later, the Indian government launched precision strikes at terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. Pakistan have since retaliated with multiple aerial attacks using drones and ceasefire violations along the Line of Control.

This ongoing conflict has left the airspace of both countries massively affected with commercial flights being either delayed, diverted, or cancelled altogether.

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