By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
The former national team director Oleg Ushakov who was dismissed by the temporary administration of the Russian basketball federation before coach Fotis Katsikaris resigned, didn’t hesitate to speak his mind out about the whole situation in “Sport.ru“. What he said can considered a direct confrontation with the federation.
– According to the media some of the national team players are not insured. Please, comment on this situation.
“First of all, it is important not to lump everything together. Let’s start from the point that every player has a compulsory FIBA insurance, except the NBA players as they have a different insurance system”.
– Well, and in details? What is the meaning of the phrases like: “We have already solved the problem with Shved and Mozgov”, and “Karasev is still not insured”?
“With the NBA insurances there is nothing difficult. The League is providing an invoice and all you have to do, is transfer the money. Considering that Shved was the only one who had a signed contract, the invoice was delivered on his name only. When I was in charge, the federation did not receive any documents requiring payments for Karasev and Mozgov. On Tuesday, the 16th of July, I have submitted the invoice for payment of the Shved’s insurance to the management. So they could pay it right away”.
– Why did Anikeyeva (the acting President) said at the press conference that Bykov, Voronov and Vorontsevich still do not have the insurances?
“It is better to ask her why she says so. I shall repeat that they have the compulsory FIBA insurance as well as all other players. On Friday, the 19th of July, I have submitted the confirmation of compulsory FIBA insurances to the new general manager and asked him to send it to the clubs. I can suppose that she means the extended coverage. To put it simply, we can call it an additional insurance one that you have to pay for”.
– And why does anyone need this additional insurance?
“It is easier to explain it by the example of Sergey Bykov. FIBA insurance does not cover the possible relapse of the cruciate ligament rupture that occurred to Sergey last year. Therefore, the club and the player may end up in a very uncomfortable situation. We have discussed the issue of the insurances with the former management many times. And we were not satisfied with the offer of FIBA this year, as it had significantly changed and not in the players’ favor. This is exactly why we have decided to insure every player additionally in the world-renowned Lloyd Company, which is where we have insured Viktor Khryapa”.
– In other words, the players don’t have additional insurance.
“Exactly, but to have it, Anikeyeva has to pay for it. They should be paid for in comparison with the compulsory FIBA insurances. I can only be accused, for not getting a loan in the bank on my name, and not paying for Sergey’s insurance by myself”.
– It is clear with Bykov, what about the others?
“It is all much easier and cheaper with this. We have received information about the other players on Friday. I have submitted this information to new GM having notified the clubs about it at the same time. But he sent me the following, and I am quoting here: “We shall not insure the whole team”. From now on it shall depend on their decision. It is impossible to formally accuse the federation in reluctance to pay the extended coverage. That was the idea of the former management. Probably they shall make arrangements with the clubs. If there are some constructive but not abstract complaints on this issue in my respect, then I am ready to answer. I would also like to add that I have all the documents and correspondence that confirm what I have said”.
– The new management of the Russian Basketball Federation is very eloquent on the shortcomings of your work. What else they did not like in the plan of the national team preparation?
“Before leaving I have tried to do my job in order to provide decent conditions for the national team. When Krasnenkov (ed.note: former President) quit, I was asked, by new people, why the national team is not training in Novogorsk (an old base camp)? Because they found our base camp too expensive. I had explained that I strongly objected to this because of a number of reasons. To bring the National Team to “Igrovoy” Sports Complex was my first priority two years ago when I had started working with the team. We had those conditions before winning bronze medals of the Olympic Games 2012 and Eurobasket 2011. After that they accepted this. When the disruption of the training is discussed, one should not keep mum about the most important thing. Those who had started the change of the federation management are the same people who had started wrecking the training, having chosen the most terrible timing. And now they trying to put blame on other people. Having forced Krasnenkov to quit, these people tied my hands. Since the federation accounts were blocked immediately. And by the way, these accounts were not with negative balances as when Krasnenkov received it after Chernov, but positive balances. I have repeated it over and over that we need to solve current issues and that I need money to do it. But I did not get a ruble for two weeks. So I had to work, not paying, based on letters of guarantee that not many are ready to accept”.
– What kind of relationship you have had with Katsikaris?
He is a high class professional, and he is also a decent person. We have immediately found mutual understanding, which is why it was easy and interesting to work with him. First of all, I shall explain our choice by several key factors. Fotis’s teams are playing interesting basketball, meaningful and spectacular at the same time. His basketball based on the tough defense and transition game. And all five players on the court are involved in offence, and the ball movement is just incredible. Teams under his leadership have always been notable for uncompromising attitude and a combative spirit. It is an indicator for me when the players are diving to the floor for each ball. It says for itself, it means that the team has a strong spirit. The same chemistry Russian national team had under David Blatt’s coaching. That’s why we were successful. Katsikaris knows how to build strong teams without any superstars. It was more than ever important for the Russian national team in this year. And he was ready to accept the challenge even without Kirilenko, Khryapa and Kaun. And the most important thing is that all his ideology is well embedding into the game style of our team. I am sure that he could have managed to develop, deploy and use our strengths. Moreover, Katsikaris is one of the most talented coaches in Europe. Still young but already experienced, with sound ambitions. More than once it was mentioned that David headed the national team at the similar moment of his career”.
– But it seems like the new management has a different point of view…
“First of all Fotis had a guaranteed contract and his first payment should be transferred on 15 of July. They didn’t do it. The story with Fotis’s discharge is a Russia’s global disgrace. People call from Europe, from NBA and cannot believe what they read on the Internet. It is only here that someone can find some journalists and evoke an alternative opinion for the general public with their help, even when all of the facts are obvious. But do not dare to do the same in Spain or the USA. People just can’t understand how this can be possible. Ten days before the training camp to persuade the coach “to resign the contract based on 2 minus 2 system” considering that he had already worked for half a year and was organizing the process and still did not get a penny and was ready to wait for the payment delay. Then, three days before the beginning, and not informing him about it, to fire the GM he planned the preparation with; and a bit later to put in the team the assistant coach, and again, without the approval of the Head Coach. I myself still find it hard to believe what happened. We were preparing to this camp for half a year; we have built all of the training, thoroughly thought it all over in the smallest details. I have established excellent relations with Eurobasket organizers in Slovenia, had personally visited the places for holding the camps and friendly games, have visited and examined every hall, every hotel, thought every detail through. We have discussed it all with Fotis. For almost three years of work by our deeds we have managed to prove it to the world basketball community that it is possible to work with the Russian Basketball Federation. And now, all we have worked for was ruined in just five days. At least I feel it so. And relapses are more difficult to cure as you can understand. Any insurance company will tell you this”.