By Eurohoops Team / info@eurohoops.net
The Greek Federation president, Giorgos Vasilakopoulos had said in a recent interview among other things that “Pau Gasol has already filled out the stamps for a pension fund and they let him play” and also “the Spanish national team is on a decline”.
Vassilakopoulos spoke to Spanish newspaper ‘El Mundo Deportivo’ after the uproar that his comments created and implied that his words have been misinterpreted: “I was not surprised that my complaints against the Turkish Airlines Euroleague have been misrepresented in Greece. But I was saddened that many wanted to deceive the public opinion, by isolating a statement I made about a huge athlete, Pau Gasol, for whom I have total respect for his career in basketball.”
“An athlete who I have repeatedly honored for his achievements when I was president of FIBA Europe, and who has a successful presence on the basketball courts. My statements had to do with the constant downgrade of the EuroLeague competition in the production process of new players that jeopardizes European basketball. However, a phrase was emphasized and distorted in order to divert from the serious matters, that some do not wish to be heard. Statements that should be the subject of a public debate on the future of the sport.”
He finally said the following about the reaction his comments caused in Spain: “I expected my sports friends in Spain to ask for clarification before criticizing. Knowing for years that we have worked together on many issues and should understand that there would never be the possibility of offending an athlete, especially of Pau Gasol’s caliber.”