FIBA and EuroLeague are back together for the good of basketball

European basketball has suffered badly in recent years from the dispute between FIBA ​​and the EuroLeague, with national teams paying the price and often competing without their key players. Now the world governing body and the continent’s apex seem to be sitting around the same table again to find the solution and move forward with the aim of expanding the sport and its fair treatment.

“There are positive examples, the EuroLeague, FIBA ​​​​and the NBA are sitting around a table to negotiate, to talk. This is an important step forward. Communication was closed for a long time, now it’s open and that’s the best place to start. It’s best together, we’ve seen that working differently for over 20 years isn’t good for our sport. FIBA always tries to talk, to find common ground, but in recent years this has been difficult. You tried to talk and no one answered. This dialog is open again. I want us to move forward together, respecting everyone’s events, their values, every team, every athlete“ were the words of the President of the Spanish Federation, Jorge Garbahosa, in the Serbian Sportski Journal.

According to Garbahosa, the decision of Olympiacos and Panathinaikos to allow their players to help Greece in the two games against Turkey bodes well for the return of Euroleague athletes to the windows: “Our players want to play for a national team, but they also want to play for their clubs. We cannot enable them to choose. They just want to play, defend the national colors and their clubs. I saw that Greece will play in this window, which is a good sign of cooperation. But if we find a common calendar, players can do what they want“.

“I agree with what the coaches say about the tough program in the EuroLeague. FIBA is trying to protect players, not expand their competitions. In fact, a summer is now free for players. But there’s still one key player at the table, and that’s none other than the domestic leagues. You are making an extremely important effort. They are the base where all the teams play, where the basketball of each country – together with the federations of course – develops the players. We have to respect the national championships. Every year has 365 days. Do you really think that there is no place for national team games, national league games and European games? There is! We just have to find a dealAdded Garbachosa.

The veteran Spanish basketball player also referred to the Basketball Champions League: “It’s a matter of smart thinking. FIBA created the BCL, such an important event in less than six years, in partnership with the leagues. ACB is part of ULEB, part of BCL and shareholders and this bodes extremely well that if we get together we can get everyone interested and add value to our sport. There is only one player that works separately and we already have a good sample over the last 22 years that this doesn’t work. I hope the future is better“.