By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
As teams in various sports are reluctant or even refuse to travel to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, and multiple European and international competitions, including the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, have decided to move home games for Russian teams outside the country’s territory, Serbia president Aleksandar Vucic pointed out that the Southeast Europe country would potentially welcome Russian sides to play home games.
“There is interest in Russian team playing home games in Serbia,” he said, relays Serbian news station B92, “UEFA, FIBA, ULEB, or other federations I am not familiar with, if they want to play games here, if it is in everyone’s interest, we will be ready. Serbia has always been a good host and we would guarantee everything deemed necessary by them.”
After the decision made by the 18 teams participating in EuroLeague, Euroleague Basketball announced that the home games of the Russian clubs, CSKA Moscow, UNICS Kazan and Zenit Saint Petersburg, versus teams based outside Russia, will be temporarily relocated to neutral venues. The fifteen remaining sides will not be competing in Russia, until further notice.
The plan is to soon announce new sites for approaching home games of CSKA, UNICS, and Zenit to get the 2021-22 Regular Season back on track. Serbian cities are likely to be considered, according to the country’s president.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to carry on impact beyond the ongoing war extending to more and more areas of European sports with alterations to venues, canceled games, and schedule adjustments.
Photo Credit: EuroLeagueBasketball.net