– If you play basketball, no matter what level, you are simply not allowed to play in any basketball match, no matter where in the world. This was told by basketball president Jan Hendrik Parmann in a case published on the association’s own website on Tuesday. Bøler players Sindre Østengen and Igor Draskovic were surprised when they heard about the rule. – For example in football, where you can play matches from the 10th division to the Champions League. It is strange that there are different rules across other sports, says Nordengen to news. On the association’s website, it also emerged that one player has now been suspended for what is referred to as “illegal gambling on basketball” pending a verdict. Parmann tells news that it concerns a player at the top level in Norway who, among other things, has played in his own matches and matches in his own league. – Seems a bit strange That according to the regulations of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) not even a wide player in Norwegian basketball is allowed to put money on matches on other continents, created reactions during the Norwegian association’s Facebook post. Among those who were in trouble was Gustav Steimler, who is chairman of the Søgne & Mandal basketball club. PRESIDENT: Jan Hendrik Parmann is president of the Norwegian Basketball Association. Photo: Brynjar MM Osgjerd / news – For me, who is 43 years old, father of three and chairman of a basketball club, I do not have any violent thoughts about being the next NBA player to be “drafted”. It seems a bit strange, if you can use that word, that I won’t be allowed to put money on a basketball game in the USA, he says to news. – Do you think it is expedient to have such strict rules? – In general, I think that there is little (expedient), says Steimler, and adds the caveat that he has understood the rules correctly. – I didn’t know about that. It was a shock that you can be suspended for that, says Bøler player Draskovic to news about the rule. Nevertheless, he believes that betting on one’s own sport should be prohibited. – You blackmail sports in a way. They cast a bad light on the sport we play in, he says. Think it’s dark numbers The biggest basketball league in the world, the NBA, is admittedly not part of FIBA’s organization, and president Parmann tells news that he doubts that a player can be punished for betting on games in the NBA, but that it could be open to interpretation. The rules from FIBA state that any kind of involvement with gambling related to a basketball competition where one or more of the parties either have a license from FIBA or are among the 213 member nations, is not allowed. FIBA organizes, among other things, the WC, EC, Champions League and the qualifying tournament for the Olympics. CAN’T BET ON THIS: According to FIBA’s regulations, a Norwegian basketball player is not allowed to bet money on other basketball matches, such as the European Championship final for men. This year it was won by Spain. Photo: ANNEGRET HILSE / Reuters Steimler himself says that he has not broken the regulations, but adds: – I would think there are some dark figures from people who were not aware that this was not allowed. – Will come as a surprise to some The chairman of the Oslo team Centrum Tigers, Ingri Beck Reithaug, tells news that she was also not aware that the regulations “were so strict” – I think some are surprised that if you play in 3 division, then you can’t play France-Spain in the World Cup, she says. – I think it’s good that they take match-fixing seriously and follow the rules in FIBA, but it’s probably not that strict in all other sports. The Norwegian Football Association (NFF) has a set of regulations that state that it is not allowed to bet on matches that you are involved in. Players with a professional or amateur contract are also not allowed to play on other matches for their own club, for example the second team. Like FIBA, they also do not allow the dissemination of inside information. In comparison, the English Football Association (FA) has taken a similar line to FIBA, and everyone involved down to and including level eight in the English men’s league system is not allowed to place bets on any football matches worldwide. WAS BANNED: In 2020, Kieran Trippier was banned for ten weeks for sharing information about his transfer to Atlético Madrid the previous year. Photo: SERGIO PEREZ / Reuters Beck Reithaug says that they will now ensure that the information is passed on in the club. – I think it will come as a surprise to some in Norwegian basketball, but I don’t have the impression that it is very common to play basketball, she says, and adds that she fully understands that it is not allowed to play in matches in a league of its own. The president himself was surprised. Basketball president Parmann says that the reason they released the information is that there have been “rumours and speculations” about illegal games in the basketball community. – What we want to do is to be at the forefront of several situations, and not least to point a warning finger at how strict it actually is, says the president. He admits that he himself was quite surprised when he was informed about how strict the regulations are, and says they released the information to throw out “a fire torch” and for people to “be shaken up a bit”. NO GAMBLING: The rules of FIBA are clear that gambling is not allowed if you are an active basketball player. Photo: SEBASTIEN BOZON / Icon Sport – Some of the ulterior motive behind such strict regulations is to make the sport clean and credible in view of the challenges associated with match-fixing. Then FIBA has chosen to take a very strict line. The association will now work with FIBA and the Norwegian Sports Confederation to find which line to take in Norwegian basketball. – It seems quite obvious that the consequences are greater the higher up in the levels you play and the closer to your own activities you play. Having said that, there are also other sanction options than exclusion, he says. – Then it remains to be seen which levels we should settle on in view of the different degrees of infringements. There is still some unplowed ground for us.
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