CCI Orders Investigation into Basketball Federation of India

On 25 November 2025, the CCI has directed the Director General CCI (DG) to investigate the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) following a complaint by Elite Pro Basketball Pvt. Ltd. (EPBL). EPBL alleged that BFI unfairly withheld approvals for its proposed national 5×5 professional basketball league and threatened players with bans if they participated in non BFI sanctioned events, including the EPBL. Players were also reportedly asked to declare that they were not associated with any unapproved league.

In its order, the CCI noted that BFI generates revenue from admission charges, player registrations, national level‑ tournaments, and sponsorships, and therefore qualifies as an “enterprise” under the Competition Act. As the sole national federation recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and affiliated with FIBA, BFI was found to hold a dominant position in the market for organization of basketball leagues/events/tournaments in India.[1] The CCI observed that BFI’s circulars and actions prima facie restricted players’ freedom to participate in private leagues, denied market access to rival organizers, and imposed exclusive participation conditions.

Accordingly, the CCI ordered a detailed investigation, directing the DG to complete the inquiry within 60 days and examine the role of responsible officials.

Business Takeaway: Sports federations must exercise regulatory powers fairly and transparently. Rules that restrict player participation or arbitrarily deny approvals can invite competition law scrutiny, exposing associations and their officebearers to liability.

[1] CCI: In Re: Elite Pro Basketball Private Limited v. Basketball Federation of India, Case No. 10 of 2024, order dated 25November 2025