Régine Lamur, the Minister of Youth and Sports has learned, with great sadness and disappointment, the disqualification after 4 straight wins of our national men's basketball team in the pre-qualifying tournament FIBA Americup 2021 in Suriname https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24814-haiti-flash-fiba-2021-haiti-disqualified-after-4-victories-for-a-supposed-problem-of-nationality.html for a challenge to the Haitian nationality of 9 players of our national team, born in the United States.

Minister Lamur, after consultations with the competent authorities and members of the Executive Committee of the Haitian Basketball Federation (FHB) confirms "all players in this selection are Haitians born in Haiti or at least of one Haitian parent."

Recall that the Haitian Constitution in Article 11 stipulates Possesses the Haitian nationality of origin, any individual born of a Haitian father or a Haitian mother who themselves were born Haitians and had never renounced their nationality at the time of birth.

(The renunciation of nationality means following an official declaration before a Haitian court, in accordance with the law)

Minister Lamur supports the appeal of this unfair measure that the FHB intends to appeal to the relevant authorities including the Appeal Board of the Haitian Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. She promises to support the Federation in all its actions and initiatives to protect the interests of Haitian basketball in particular and sport in general.

The Ministry invites "the Haitian sports movement to join its skills in the initiative undertaken by the FHB to redress the damage done to the National Men's Basketball Selection and stand against any attempt to hinder the performance of Haitian national teams, to punish the talent of our young athletes and to despise sport development efforts at home."

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24814-haiti-flash-fiba-2021-haiti-disqualified-after-4-victories-for-a-supposed-problem-of-nationality.html

HL/ HaitiLibre