Claire Mitchell affirms NBFTT membership, slams president Hills over FIBA letter

IMMEDIATE past president of the National Basketball Federation of Trinidad and Tobago (NBFTT) Claire Mitchell has given current president Jason Hills seven days to revoke a letter sent to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in January 2023 which states that she is no longer a member of the NBFTT.

This is one of the core issues that Mitchell has taken Hills to task on since the letter forced Mitchell to withdraw her unopposed nomination for Caribbean Basketball Commission (CBC) presidency at last year’s February elections.

Mitchell issued the statement to Hills and NBFTT secretary Clayton Blackman via email on Saturday. If the letter is not rescinded, “I am prepared to take further action on this matter,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell said when Hills sent the letter to FIBA claiming she was no longer a member of the local federation, her withdrawal from the president’s race also “caused TT to forfeit becoming the headquarters of the CBC and all the opportunities and honour that this prestigious position entitled.”

She asked Hills to share with CBC, FIBA Americas and herself, the information, process and evidence that the NBFTT would have used within their first 27 days in office to “fashion an informed decision” and communicate with FIBA that she was no longer a NBFTT member.

Before last year’s January AGM, the outgoing board approved her nomination via round robin and quoted article 12:2 of NBFTT’s constitution, which states that, “The AGM cannot repudiate obligations undertaken during the preceding year by the retiring board of directors” and that “the new board’s alleged decision was therefore illegal and unconstitutional and should not have even been considered.”

Additionally, Mitchell also took aim at the new board for not recognising DEAF Basketball, who became a NBFTT affiliate in 2019, has registered with the Deaf International Basketball Association and has since acquired membership with their FIBA counterpart of international basketball.

But Mitchell raised that since the board changed in 2023, DEAF and the east zone has been left out of NBFTT board meetings. This, she said, had negative repercussions on the stakeholders.

“Your unexplained exclusion of the zone (east) from board meetings since March 2023 meant that they were unable to access any training or information from FIBA or have any Zonal League competition for the 2023. Both DEAF and the east zone were not invited to the NBFTT December, 2023 AGM without any reasonable explanation although there was no quorum at the meeting's first calling.”

And despite TT capturing a historic Pan Am 3x3 bronze in October, FIBA sanctioned NBFTT for failing to attend last year’s 3x3 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers (May 6-7, Israel) and for non-payment of AmeriCup 3x3 registration fees. TT’s withdrawal removed all eligibility for TT to participate in the next edition of the FIBA 3x3 World Cup.

A FIBA statement said it “may impose sanctions on a national member federation that, after having sent its registration, cancels its participation or fails to participate in one or more games of the competition or in any other official activity of the competition.”

Mitchell also touched on this saying there was more than enough money in the federation’s bank account for the board to register the team.

“My administration submitted all supporting documents that were collected by us prior to January 14, 2023 to SporTT for AmeriCup. We could not provide documents for money that we did not spend and we can no longer access NBFTT records at the office to resend any missing documents or duplicate requests.

“Our administration left over $79,000 in the NBFTT account which included SporTT funds that were earmarked for refund, funds for the Her World / Her Rules Project and the AmeriCup 2023 registration fees.”

Amidst an array of other issues, Mitchell has two requirements from Hills, “A withdrawal of the disingenuous and malicious claims in your letter to FIBA and a nomination from your board in an effort to mitigate the current circumstances and as a symbol of your intention to commit to moving the TTO NF forward into becoming the Headquarters of the CBC and all that it entails toward the progress of your NF and its development.”

The seven days for Hill to respond ends on Friday.