Ataman blasts ELPA for investigation on Efes: 'No one can interfere in our affairs' / News - Basketnews.com

Ergin Ataman attacked the EuroLeague Players Association for their investigation on Efes' decision to leave some domestic players undergo intense training sessions.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Anadolu Efes Istanbul made light work of Manisa in the Turkish BSL (95-74), but head coach Ergin Ataman shared his thoughts on many issues.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul / Schedule

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan Anadolu Efes Istanbul51-80 Virtus Segafredo Bologna Anadolu Efes Istanbul80-85 Anadolu Efes Istanbul Olympiacos PiraeusThu17:30

Most notably, the Turkish tactician referred to the investigation opened by the EuroLeague Players Association on Efes for breaching the EFA (collective agreement between players, clubs and EuroLeague).

In that case, Efes decided to leave some domestic players in Istanbul for intense workouts after Ataman said they weren't contributing as he expected in Turkish BSL games. The same players didn't follow the rest of the squad in Italy, where the EuroLeague champs recorded two wins over Armani Milan and Virtus Bologna last week.

The process is clear: Players turn to ELPA, which has the right to report the breach to EuroLeague, and they lead the process from that point on.

"There is no distinction between domestic and foreign players on our team," Ataman clarified.

"Only players who are out of shape need to work harder. This is the rule of the sport. Athletes cannot keep their form without practicing. That's players that won't play in the EuroLeague this week were kept in Istanbul and followed an intense training program," he continued.

"However, there are those who are disturbed by it. Especially the EuroLeague Players Association was very disturbed. They opened an investigation against us for keeping these players here," Ataman revealed.

"We came here yesterday evening on a busy schedule. We had the chance to rest our starters today. We never put [Will] Clyburn on the court, [Ante] Zizic only played for five minutes at the start of the game.

In this way, the players who stayed in Istanbul and worked with an intense training tempo managed to play well," Efes' coach said before referring to his side's next EuroLeague match against Olympiacos next Thursday at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall, which he called "very tough."

"Every game in the EuroLeague is like a final," Ataman went on to say. "We will definitely go out to win that game. Our team is in good shape, we need to keep it going."

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