By Antigoni Zachari / info@eurohoops.net
The Ukrainian Basketball Federation has requested FIBA to move their February FIBA World Cup qualifier game against Spain to the summer window, Oleksandr Proshuta reports.
In light of the escalating threats of a potential invasion by Russia into Ukrainian territory, FIBA has prohibited the Federation from hosting the game in Kyiv, originally scheduled for Sunday, February 27. With their request, the Federation is looking to retain their homecourt advantage against the reigning World Cup champions by moving it to a later date, with hopes that the tension would have de-escalated by then.
The Ukrainian NT is scheduled to fly to Spain on February 20, for their first game of the February window (scheduled for February 24, 20:45 CET), whilst awaiting FIBA’s response to their request.
The imminent danger of an invasion has, of course, affected all sports activities in Ukraine. Last week, Prometey president Volodymyr Dubinsky announced that the team is temporarily leaving the country, while the club’s women basketball department is set to face Mersin for their upcoming EuroCup game in Plovdiv, Bulgaria in lieu of Kamianske, Ukraine.
Photo credit: FIBA