By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In an interview given to Match.Ru, the president of the Russian Basketball Federation, Andrei Kirilenko, explained in great detail why it was absolutely necessary to accept the decisions made by FIBA.
“Many people are making some harsh conclusions which they are all based on insufficient information”, said Kirilenko. “Therefore it is necessary to clarify the situation. On April the 15th, we received a letter by FIBA about the automatic disqualification of the Russian national team. This was associated with the press release by VTB League which announced the participation of three Russian clubs to Eurocup. Today, FIBA’s position is that teams can play in Euroleague, but not in Eurocup. The Russian Basketball Federation is is a member of FIBA which, in turn, is a member of the International Olympic Committee. We assumed these obligations and we cannot violate them. Similarly, the VTB League has committed itself to comply with the rules of FIBA. And, until now, it hadn’t violated any rules, that is why there were not any prohibitions. But that changed on April 15th”.
“At the time the letter was received by FIBA, it looked like an ultimatum”, continued the president of the Russian Basketball Federation. “But then we did not own all the information which was then received after the meeting with the Secretary General of FIBA, Patrick Baumann, after talks with the president of Euroleague, Jordi Bertomeu, the VTB United League and the consultation with lawyers of the Russian Olympic Comittee. And, in fact, we had two choices. Either we continue to fulfill our obligations as full members of FIBA, or Russia would be out of the Olympic family. It’s simple. There are rules to which we subscribe”.
When asked if the pressure of FIBA came in the form of a blackmail, Kirilenko answered that: “What difference does it make what it looks like? If we accept their rules, it is necessary to fulfill them. Why else would we take them? We all love our clubs and everything and we want to help them. But it should be done within these rules. Someone has said that the Federation’s will was ‘bent’. That it acted cowardly by not siding with the clubs. But it is not cowardice. We have acted according to the law”.