The Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF), the local governing body of the discipline, has officially withdrawn from the International Federation of Association Basketball (FIBA) U17 Skills Challenge-Americas Qualifier, due to the upsurge in local Covid-19 related cases.
This was stated in a GABF official correspondence to the FIBA Americas Events Department. According to the letter, “The Guyana Basketball Federation (GABF) regrettably withdraws from the FIBA U17 Skills Challenge – Americas Qualifier due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the city of Georgetown. The only FIBA certified basketball facility, the Cliff Anderson Shorts Hall has been converted to a quarantine shelter for COVID-19 patients until the Georgetown Infectious Disease Hospital renovation construction is complete.”
The letter further said, “Further to this matter, the Government of Guyana’s (GoG), Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Sports did not approve the restart of sports in Guyana. We are working closely with the GoG, Ministry of Public Health and the Guyana Olympic Association with guidance from PAHO/WHO on a path to restart sports in Guyana. We would like to thank you for the FIBA U17 Skills Challenge – Americas Qualifier invitation to this event and will keep you updated as to when the sports restrictions are lifted in Guyana.”