By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Goran Sasic, the president of the Belgrade Final Four organizing committee, replied to Zalgiris Kaunas director Paulius Motiejunas with an open letter.
Motiejunas was reportedly asked and said that the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four should not be held in Belgrade due to the stance of Serbia in the war between Russia and Ukraine during the press conference to present the new Zalgiris head coach, Kazys Maksvytis.
Sasic gave the following answer via an open letter sent to the media.
“Open letter to my friend Paulius Motiejunas,
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, which unlike you we Serbs have seen and I hope that you will never see, I would like to give you some answers.
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, I have brought the Euroleague Masters program to the Vytautas Magnus University.
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, I have always raised the question while working at Euroleague Basketball, when the Final Four will be held in your Zalgirio Arena.
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, I have always said that Zalgiris is one of the best organized clubs in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, I see that you have turned a losing season into a political campaign.
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, I have always been against mixing politics with sports, since politics divides and sports unites.
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, I don’t remember that you have showed such solidarity when my country was bombed by NATO in 1999, nor when NATO invaded Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan and several dozen more countries.
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, we know what sanctions, hyperinflation, millions of refugees, and the destructions of war mean.
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, I don’t understand the hypocrisy of yours that at the game against a Serbian club you have acted like you wish to send an anti-war message and then you have your Ultras waiving the NATO flag to a Serbian club. Could I ask you which message you want to represent, the message of peace or war?
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, I saw that you and your security have kicked out Serbian fans not only out of your arena but also out of your beautiful country.
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, I remember that your Zaligiris Kaunas fans have always been treated with respect whenever they came to see your games in Belgrade.
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, we have recently held the indoor Athletics World Championship in the Stark Arena in Belgrade and our fans have been cheering for all sportsmen regardless of their nationality.
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, I remember how much your fans enjoyed the 2018 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Belgrade. If you don’t remember I could send you some tons of video footage proving me right if you forgot.
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, I disagree that Belgrade is not the right place for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four and I believe the exact opposite that all fans and especially those from Lithuania will enjoy it even more this time since all fans have been awaiting the moment after two Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Fours being suspended / held without fans to finally enjoy DEVOTION again. You should ask yourself do you feel DEVOTION or do you feel war? Last, I would like to say that all people that haven’t seen war ask for it and all people that have seen war don’t want to ever see it again.
As a Serb, looking at the broader picture of war, I can tell you that we Serbs don’t want to see war nowhere on this planet. Love, peace and happiness is what we live for.
With love from Belgrade.”
The Final Four is scheduled to be hosted by Belgrade’s Stark Arena between 19 and 21 May.
Photo Credit: EuroLeagueBasketball.net