FIBA concerned with EuroLeague CEO uncertainty as three key discussion points are looming / News - Basketnews.com

FIBA general secretary Andreas Zagklis admitted that uncertainty in EuroLeague does not help to hold the talks between FIBA and EuroLeague, adding that he and FIBA are always prepared and open to having such discussions.

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The uncertainty over the EuroLeague leadership and its future concerns the FIBA executives.

The EuroLeague board has officially dismissed Jordi Bertomeu from the CEO position. June 30 was set to become Bertomeu's last day in the executive position.

But since the licensed clubs didn't come up with a clear successor, Bertomeu is still in charge at the EuroLeague headquarters, sources say BasketNews.

In an interview with BasketNews, FIBA general secretary Andreas Zagklis shared his concerns that the situation at the EuroLeague headquarters delays the ongoing discussion between the EuroLeague and FIBA.

"For the uncertainty you described, it's not my position to comment on the internal discussion in another organization. We have to be very careful not to be disrespectful against any person or organization, which has always been mine and FIBA's position," Zagklis responded before making his statement.

"I can tell you that what you described as uncertainty has not helped. It has further delayed the efforts and slowed down the initiative that FIBA took last summer to bring everyone management, clubs, and the NBA to the table for a good solution in Europe that affects global basketball very much," Zagklis concluded.

He once again reminded that there are three significant points that EuroLeague and FIBA have to agree on.

"You know that we have been very open to discussion. We've been very clear as the global basketball family, not just FIBA... FIBA, the clubs that do not participate in the EuroLeague, the national leagues, and the national members of FIBA, [have been very clear what they] want from that discussion," Zagklis started.

"It's very clear that we need to respect the national team calendar. Also, we need a unified set of rules without putting our clubs to play under different variations on Thursday and Sunday," Zagklis said.

"And there is no doubt we want a clearer and better structure of European club competitions. I think this last point is the point that we're ready to sit down and properly negotiate. The first two points are the fundamental elements of the entire ecosystem," Zagklis pointed out.

FIBA executive didn't share if there is a reasonable hope to turn the direction of the negotiations under a new potential EuroLeague leadership.

"Once the clubs point me to the person or people with whom we can discuss, and I have someone on the other side of the table with whom we can have a solid and strong handshake - FIBA, myself, my colleagues at the world and European level will be there to take part in this discussion and transparently push forward for the good of basketball," Zagklis concluded.

Credit fiba.basketball

At the same time, Zagklis said that FIBA continues to discuss future projects with the NBA and the organizations from the other continents.

"The partnership with the NBA became wider and deeper over the last years. I think we have a very good balance in how we elaborate on the national team competitions. It's not a secret that most of our conversations had centered around the club competitions framework around the world where FIBA has a strategic objective to shape international club competitions," Zagklis explained.

"The BAL (Basketball Africa League) has been at the forefront of these discussions. In the Intercontinental Cup, we have a G League champion every year, and more partnerships happened around the BCL Final Four.

As you saw, the collaboration between the NBA Europe and the Basketball Champions league. And we believe that we can build more projects on this solid foundation," FIBA general secretary said.

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