Βy Niki Bakouli/ bakouli@eurohoops.net
Liaoning refused Guo Ailun’s transfer to Panathinaikos for this season, but they are willing to discuss on the matter next summer, if the Greens will still like to have him on their roster.
Again with our chinese colleague Qiang Sheng’s help we were able to have the translation of sports.qq.com’s article, where Dimitris Giannakopoulos, Panathinaikos’ owner, is quoted, saying “at the end of June, I sent the contract to FAME (Ailun’s agency) and it was the first non-European player’s contract I had ever made”.
FAME answered that would have to wait until the end of the Olympic Games and then Guo Ailun would be able to sign it. But at the end, that was not the case, since the Olympics were over but the player didn’t sing the contract. And that’s why two weeks ago Panathinaikos sent to Chinese Basketball Association an official request on getting Ailun. The thing that the Greek team didn’t know was that he had to talk to Liaoning team and the distric’s sports administration first, before getting in touch with the player or his family.
Giannakopoulos said: “We received an email from Guo Ailun, where he wrote how much he wanted to come to our club. But I didn’t know I had to talk to the sports administration or his club that, so I can sign a contract with the player. If the trade really can be done, of course I can come to China personally”.
The Liaoning club’s board had a meeting with the directors of Liaoning district sport administration to discuss about Ailun’s request. Li Hongqing said (Liaoning’s GM) said “Panathinaikos didn’t have any official contact with us from the beginning to end. We have heard about this thing only from Guo Ailun and his father. And two days ago, PAO finally sent us the paperwork. But again it’s wasn’t a formal request”.
He added “what the sport administration considered was that the CBA game for the National Games, next September, is very crucial and Guo Ailun’s presence is very important. In addition, Ailun hardly will get his minutes in Greece, since Panathinaikos has a Lithuanian and an American, at his position and he will be the third option. We thought, this was not enough”. Liaoning answered to Panathinaikos request with a formal letter, where they wrote it’s not convenient for Guo Ailun to play in Europe this year, but if PAO has the intention to bring him next season, they can work on that.