The Russian basketball national teams have been banned from all competitions by the sports ruling body FIBA, the AFP reports.

"The FIBA executive committee decided to suspend with immediate effect the Russian Basketball federation (RBF) in view of the fact that the RBF has been unable to resolve longstanding institutional and legal issues preventing the Federation to work under proper conditions and maintain full control and governance in the country, as proven by the recently published Court decision against the RBF," FIBA's letter said.

"As a consequence, the RBF forfeits its rights as member of FIBA, and its teams and officials may not participate in official competitions or activites."

Russian basketball federation honorary president Sergei Chernov told the TASS news agency of their receipt of FIBA's letter.

"For the moment. Russia's FIBA membership was also temporarily suspended. The FIBA final verdict on the case will be announced at its conference on Aug. 8-9," Chernov said.

He also notes that the Russian men's national men's basketball team could potentially miss the European championships slated in September, as well as the Olympic games in Brazil next year because of the ban.

According to the AFP report, a dispute between the previous national basketball federation head and the new president Yulia Anikeyeva was the supposed reason for the sanction.

The report also notes that on June 18, a Moscow regional court ordered the national basketball federation to hold fresh elections for the post of president along with its executive board within 60 days. Russia's ruling body then issued an appeal against the judgment, but was ultimately rejected.

This failure to internally resolve the issue eventually led to FIBA president Horacio Muratore to take action.

"We have a feeling that none of the interested parties showed its intentions to bring the Russian basketball federation to unanimity and stability," FIBA's letter said.

Anikeyeva has been invited by Muratore to attend the FIBA conference in August to communicate about the situation and potentially lift the ban.