Fake team fiasco: Russian basketball victory marred by controversy over bogus Colombian squad
While Russian basketball teams remain barred from official tournaments by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the sport witnesses significant internal growth. In Perm, the "Friendship Cup" is underway, featuring teams from Russia, Venezuela, Colombia, and the local Perm club "Parma." In an astonishing first match, Parma trounced the Colombian squad with an extraordinary score of 155-53.
Colombia, ranked 58th in the FIBA standings, does not boast a prominent position in global basketball rankings. Yet, such a lopsided defeat at the hands of Parma—a team that has only placed as high as fifth in the Russian league—remains notable. "We didn't expect this Colombian team to show up; we saw a slightly different lineup in pre-match videos," Parma player Samson Ruzhentsev told TASS. "However, this season opener is a useful game to build our confidence."
Colombian coach Jorge Vasquez also echoed expressions of regret in his interview with TASS, stating he feels responsible for the crushing loss.
Closer examination reveals that calling the Colombian lineup "slightly different" is a huge understatement. The supposed national team featured no former members of Colombia's official basketball team. Additionally, not all players were professionals. Among them, Luis Miguel Parra Sanchez is an engineer and sports blogger. Two others are part of a college 3x3 basketball team. Coach Vasquez is actually the head coach for a private school's girls’ team, the Albert Einstein School in Mosquera, near Bogotá. The real national team coach is Guillermo Moreno.
The Colombian Basketball Federation has issued a statement regarding the events in Perm. According to Sport.ru, the federation declared, "The Colombian Basketball Federation did not receive an official invitation to participate in the Friendship Cup in Russia. We did not authorize any club or educational institution in the country to partake in this tournament."
In response, the Russian Basketball Federation asserted, "The match involving the team claimed as the Colombian national team was organized in full compliance with official documentation and confirmations. All communications and interactions with the Colombian Basketball Federation were conducted through official channels, ensuring the legitimacy of this team's participation in the tournament."
The letter was signed by Jorge Armando Garcia Vargas, though the official Colombian Basketball Federation website lists the president's name as Jorge Armando Garcia. The surname "Vargas" appears only on his Facebook page but not in official documents. Moreover, the letterhead cited an incorrect website address, fecolcesto.es.ti, which does not exist. The actual website is fecolcesto.org. This discrepancy casts doubt on who actually sanctioned the peculiar team’s participation in the Perm tournament.