By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
With games not being decided on court, as the EuroLeague COVID-19 rules dictate, the EuroLeague players are reacting on social media and expressing their disagreement.
Despite the fact that those rules and the health protocols have also the vote of confidence from the EuroLeague Players Association (ELPA), there’s a lot of well-known and respected players who express their discontent.
“Not really fair right now EuroLeague,” Khimki Moscow forward Jonas Jerebko tweeting while tagging EuroLeague Basketball. “Teams are just gonna have to bring in young players to be able to play the games with enough healthy players. Makes no sense. Crapshoot on who can stay healthy,” he added and tagged the Twitter account of ELPA. Khimki has barely eight players for this week’s action, which is the limit for a game to be held.
Not really fair right now @EuroLeague. Teams are just gonna have to bring in young players to be able to play the games with enough healthy players. Makes no sense. Crapshot on who can stay healthy. @the_ELPA
— Jonas Jerebko (@JonasJerebko) October 14, 2020
KC Rivers of Zenit St. Petersburg, who will not play this week due to COVID-19 cases in the team is even harsher: “Basically we are penalized for players contracting the virus. Might as well start prepping some youth team players to be ready just in case”.
This ain’t it. Basically we are penalized for players contracting the virus. Might as well start prepping some youth team players to be ready just in case https://t.co/W0XqXJdNbR
— K.C. Rivers (@kcriv3rs) October 12, 2020
Billy Baron after the announcement of the EuroLeague for counting the two games as defeats for Zenit with a 20-0 score, he accused the competition “of taking away its own credibility”.
Forfeit?!? We know what we signed up for coming into this season by sacrificing our own health and being separated from our families (who aren’t with us) to compete. But this ain’t it. The euroleague is taking away its own credibility of this season with this decision.
— Billy Baron (@Billy_Baron) October 14, 2020
His teammate, Alex Poythress added his two cents.
Not fair at all. They could at least postpone the game then see at a later date. Euroleague knew this was the risk at the start of the season. https://t.co/IRIc3VDHa6
— Alex Poythress (@AlexTheGreat22) October 12, 2020
Last but not least Malcolm Delaney of AX Armani Exchange Milan expressed his opinion on the matter. According to him, the level of competition is being hurt.
Y’all playing with 8 also… they watering down the second best league in the world
— malcolm delaney (@foe23) October 12, 2020
So far, three of the Euroleague games during this double-round week of action will not be played due to COVID-related issues.