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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Observer Sport and agencies

Priti Patel cancels Belarus’ basketball visas over country’s support of Putin

Belarus, playing in red against Turkey last November, had originally been due to play Britain in a world cup qualifier in Newcastle on Monday.
Belarus, playing in red against Turkey last November, had originally been due to play Britain in a world cup qualifier in Newcastle on Monday. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Priti Patel has cancelled visas issued to Belarus’ men’s basketball team over their country’s support for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, on a day where the sporting world showed its disdain for Russia’s aggression in the region.

The Belarus team had been due to play Britain in Newcastle in a world cup qualifier on Monday. The match was postponed on Friday by the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) after an “evaluation of the current security situation”. The Netherlands’ scheduled match against Russia, scheduled to take place on Saturday, was also pulled.

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