By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
FIBA will proceed with the qualification games, no matter if the EuroLeague players will compete or not – the NBA players are already out – and as he said: “It’s not a project against anyone. It’s an opportunity to discover new talents. We do not worry about being sometimes the bad guy because the movie is very good. We have an extraordinary product”.
According to Baumann “basketball needed an electroshock”, because “everything stalled” after 2002. Coincidentally that’s the year that FIBA Suproleague was terminated and EuroLeague dominated the European basketball scene. FIBA believes that the national teams can help basketball grow more and the exception of NBA players in the qualification games was a “joint strategy”, because “if the pace continued like this we were not going very far and the participation of the NBA players in the big tournaments was going to be smaller and smaller. It was necessary to give respite to the athletes and create spaces for the appearance of new ones… We were on a path with no return. We can not be hostages of a few stars but think of building the new ones”.
The approach towards EuroLeague is different. As Baumann said: “I do not criticize what the Euroleague is doing, I ask respect for our ideas because we have good reasons, no matter if those ideas are liked more or less by some clubs. Everyone has to make efforts. We did this by organizing a Eurobasket every four years. It seems like a reasonable compromise that should not bother anyone”.
However if the EuroLeague clubs refuse to accomodate the qualifying windows, according to Baumann there will be consequences: “In Spain for example, the federation would have to take action because it is something that goes against the law of sport. In that case the Spanish clubs would have to sit down and decide if they want a strong national team that prolongs the successes of the last 15 years or not. Fortunately there are 215 countries and everyone wants to play in the Olympics or the FIBA World Cup. Spain has a formidable league, an enviable golden generation and has been the example to follow these years. It would be a shame for this to be abruptly interrupted for a couple of weekends”.
It’s more than obvious that FIBA will not grant to EuroLeague the same kind of treatment that the NBA has: “The EuroLeague wants to be an NBA in Europe, but we live in a very small world and there are 50 countries within one hour of flying. When you have an international responsibility you also have to take into account international regulations and respect interests that go beyond those of a few clubs, no matter how strong they might be. We must find the balance without underestimating the national leagues. These clubs are sitting at two tables at once with two types of rules. That’s the problem. If those big clubs were not in two places at one time the situation would be much clearer and easier. I have hope in basketball not in the decisions of an organization. We would like the EuroLeague to join the general movement and respect the domestic leagues. Ethically it is very questionable to leave on the hands of the players the choice of playing either in the EuroLeague or in their national teams. We have no right to put the players in the position of having to decide”.