By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Tornike Shengelia’s move to CSKA Moscow received negative reactions from the Georgian president as well as a part of the public due to the strained relations between the two countries.
However, Shengelia expressed his opinion that nothing changes and that his relationship with Georgia won’t change. CSKA president Andrey Vatutin also said that the player insisted from the get-go of negotiations on having permission to play for the national team.
Shengelia went ahead and reinforced his stance about the whole situation via a statement on Facebook, expressing his feelings and guaranteeing his “soul is Georgian” and that it will never change.
The statement by Toko Shengelia in full:
“First of all, I would like to thank all the people who supported me. I really hope that I can thank you personally!
I would like to emphasize the fact that I am not making this statement in order to justify myself to anyone.
It is difficult to explain something to a person when he does not want to hear anything and does not even think about changing his formed opinion.
I can’t explain to this person how I felt when I was 10-11 years old, and I stood with my eyes closed during the national anthem of the Georgian national team and imagined myself among the players on the court.
I can’t explain to this person what it means to me to watch the game of the Georgian national team on TV, what a terrible feeling it is when you are at the peak of your career, but you can’t help the national team and the country, because the third and fourth parties have decided so.
I can’t explain how much joy and happiness I experienced just a few days ago when I became the champion of Spain and that gave me the opportunity to raise the Georgian flag!
Going to one of the best teams in Europe will give me more chances to win, which will increase the likelihood of glorifying our flag.
I can’t explain the happiness when one of the best teams in Europe respects my patriotism and gives me the opportunity to come to every game of the national team in order to lead our country forward again and again.
I repeat. I, Tornike Shengelia, was, am, and will be the bearer of the Georgian spirit everywhere, until the very last moment, and no comments or statements can change this!
I will survive this trial humbly, because God is on my side. I am only responsible to him, and he knows who I am.”