By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
As the season unfolds, several Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup contests are being re-scheduled and the EuroLeague organization addressed the current calendar situation in a teleconference held with the respective domestic leagues of participant countries Thursday.
The risk of not getting open dates to complete the season in both the EuroLeague/EuroCup and domestic leagues – which have also, on several occasions, delayed not only games but a whole week of competition has been a major issue. The outtake of the teleconference ruled out the institution of a bubble by EuroLeague or a calendar modification, opting for rescheduled games that won’t clash with the pre-existing schedule.
The leagues’ representatives in the teleconference showed a willingness for consensus and cooperation in these difficult times for the sport, with both sides wanting to facilitate the teams participating both in domestic and continental competitions.
Per EuroLeague’s press release:
Following the restrictions that are being put into place in some European countries with regards to travel, quarantines, curfews, lockdowns and spectator prohibitions, Euroleague Basketball invited the Sports Directors from 11 domestic league competition organizers across the continent to a video conference in which all of them participated on Thursday to exchange the latest information between them.
The competition organizers who met with Euroleague Basketball Competition Department executives included those from the ABA, representing ex-Yugoslavia countries; ACB of Spain; BBL of Germany; BSL of Israel; BSL of Turkey (Turkish Basketball Federation); HEBA of Greece; LEGA of Italy; LKL of Lithuania; LNB of France; PBL of Belgium; and the UBL, representing ex-Union of Soviet Socialist Republic countries.
The objective of the meeting was to share and coordinate information amongst all the competition organizers who have teams participating in the 2020-21 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and/or the 7DAYS EuroCup with a view toward all parties being able to better plan the upcoming weeks and months, as well as improve the processes and protocols in place.
Euroleague Basketball did not share any alternative calendars nor alternative competition system proposals for the 2020-21 season.
During the meeting, Euroleague Basketball and each competition organizer shared the current situation in their market, the special regulations they are working under this season including triggers to suspend and reschedule games; the number of games suspended to date; the number of teams, players and referees reporting COVID-19 positive test results; short-term plans; dates that will be prioritized or avoided for rescheduled games; and government or public health authority restrictions if any are in place.
The attendees expressed a common interest in finishing the current season by assuring that all special regulations and protocols in place allow for that; by working in a collaborative environment as much as possible; and by making the protection of the health of all competition participants the primary objective. The health and safety protocols applied across the different competitions show common principles in the large majority of areas.