By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
After sharing his opinion on the suspension of the game against Bayern Munich in Germany, CSKA Moscow president Andrey Vatutin also commented on the Euroleague decision to move all home games of Russian clubs to a neutral venue.
He admitted that it’s a very complicated matter but he also believes that Russian teams were put at a disadvantage without fully clear reasoning behind it. He also recognized the unpredictability of the whole situation.
“The situation is very complicated, and there is no solution that would suit everyone, it is clear that the general priority of the clubs and the league is to finish the season. Unfortunately, during the meeting, I got the impression that the final decision to transfer the matches of Russian teams to a neutral field was decided in advance, and I was never able to understand on the basis of what exactly Russia is deprived of basketball. Today, there are no recommendations from the governments of European countries or the European Union to refrain from traveling to Russia, while it is worth recognizing that it is impossible to predict the development of events” Vatutin said, per TASS.
He also described the atmosphere among his Euroleague colleagues.
“Today I saw extremely serious concern for safety in Russia among colleagues from other clubs. Unfortunately, neither we, nor Zenit, nor UNICS can give 100 percent guarantees in this matter, it is simply beyond our competence. Of course, on neutral venues, teams from Russia will be put in a deliberately disadvantageous position, deprived of their fans, doomed to additional expenses, and will not be able to fully fulfill their obligations to sponsors. In which country or countries, in what format the games will be held, it will be clear next week, consultations are ongoing.”