A Blowout Raises Alarms
In 2024, during a friendly basketball tournament in Perm, Russia, a team claiming to represent Colombia took the court and suffered a staggering defeat. Losing 155–53 to BC Parma, the team managed only two points in the first quarter.
The performance was so uncompetitive that officials and spectators immediately questioned its authenticity. The team’s skill level appeared far below the standard expected of a national squad.
A Federation Denies Involvement
As concerns mounted, the Colombian Basketball Federation issued a statement denying any connection to the event. They declared that no club or team had been authorized to represent Colombia in the tournament.
The federation emphasized that it had not received any formal invitation to participate and condemned the misuse of its name and logo. It also announced plans to pursue legal action against those responsible for the unauthorized appearance.
One Student Behind It All
An investigation revealed that the entire scheme had been orchestrated by Christian David Mosquera Duran, a 25-year-old Colombian student living in Russia. Without any official ties to professional basketball, Mosquera Duran had created a false identity—Sofia Orobio—and contacted the Russian Basketball Federation using personal email accounts.
He submitted a fake roster and posed as a federation representative. It’s believed he may have gained unauthorized access to official Colombian Basketball Federation email systems, further supporting the deception.
Official Responses and Fallout
Andrei Kirilenko, president of the Russian Basketball Federation and a former NBA player, publicly addressed the incident. He stated that the federation had followed standard procedures when inviting the team and did not suspect fraud until the first game.
Kirilenko explained that Venezuela’s team had arrived through the same channels without issue. He added that once the quality gap was clear, they recognized something was wrong. The scheduled match between the fake Colombian team and Russia was canceled as the story gained international attention.
An Ongoing Investigation
The tournament was meant to be a routine sporting event, but the incident left both federations addressing serious questions about verification protocols. The Russian Federation reiterated that it had no intention of misleading anyone.
Meanwhile, the Colombian Federation continued its investigation into how its identity was compromised. Christian David Mosquera Duran, who had been playing in a local 3×3 league in Kazan, remained at the center of inquiries. As of the latest reports, the extent of his actions and how he maintained the ruse remain under examination.
In 2024, a friendly basketball game in Perm, Russia, turned into an international embarrassment when a fake Colombian national team lost 155–53.
The team’s poor performance raised suspicions, eventually uncovering a bizarre deception involving a student…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/aqzirwRqXC
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) July 31, 2025