Delhi High Court restrains Captains Professional Basketball League from using 'India' or 'select Indian team' for new league

Court issued interim order restraining private league from misleading public, enticing national players.

The Delhi High Court has restrained the Captains Professional Basketball League (CPBL) and Headstart Arena (India) Private Limited from using the word ‘India’ or ‘Select Indian Team’ or any other expression that could give an impression that they are the officially recognized national body for basketball in India or are holding matches in association with the Basketball Federation of India (BFI).

According to an Instagram Post by the Basketball Federation of India, The interim order was passed on May 9 by a single judge bench in a case filed by BFI against CPBL and Headstart Arena seeking to restrain them from conducting an exhibition match with a team called the ‘Select Indian Team’ as part of their upcoming Indian National Basketball League (INBL) Pro League.

In the order, the court noted that a prima facie case was made out for granting an ex-parte ad-interim injunction as allowing the defendants to proceed with the exhibition match using the ‘Select Indian Team’ name would cause confusion and mislead players as well as the public. It could undermine BFI’s authority as the apex basketball body in India.

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“Irreparable harm would be caused to the Plaintiff association’s credibility, and preparation for the upcoming international tournament if the Defendants are not restrained from misleading the public and enticing players away from the national camp,” the order stated.

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The balance of convenience also lay in favor of BFI, the court observed.

Accordingly, the defendants have been restrained from using ‘India’, ‘Select Indian Team’ or any other similar expression. They have also been barred from enticing or poaching national basketball players to play in the ‘Select Indian Team’ for the INBL Pro League scheduled to begin on 10 May. The INBL Pro League has been billed as India’s first open-entry, developmental basketball league aimed at discovering, developing and promoting talent in the country

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