Ukraine's basketball federation asks for a direct spot for Budivelnik in BCL group stage / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Ukraine Basketball federation FBU Credit Ukraine Basketball federation FBU

Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, the country's basketball federation contacted Basketball Champions League CEO Patrick Comninos, asking for a direct spot in the tournament's group stage for the Ukrainian club BC Budivelnik.

FBU president Mykhailo Brodskyi presented many arguments, stating that due to the extreme situation in Ukraine, there won't be a domestic league's basketball season, meaning that in case Budivelnik wouldn't make past the Champions League qualifying tournament, the club's season would be over.

Full statement by Mykhailo Brodskyi

Dear Mr. Comninos,

We hereby are addressing you with the following. The war continues in Ukraine, and we do not know when it will end. But it is already clear to us that we will not hold a full-fledged championship in Ukraine this season.

Fortunately, there are clubs ready to play and the importance of their participation in international competitions during the season is invaluable. Ukrainian basketball must live. Today, one of the flagships of Ukraine, the capital BC Budivelnik, has the opportunity and is ready to take part in the top competition in Europe, the Basketball Champions League.

However, there is a risk of not getting into the group stage, which means the end of the season for the Kyiv club, since there will be no the championship in Ukraine in the usual form, not to mention the level of teams in the championship and the league as a whole.

BC Budivelnyk club's management is now selecting a playing hall in Europe. It is ready to form a squad for participation in the Champions League at a worthy and proper level, and this is serious work and large sums of money. But it turns out that our club is already in unequal conditions with other participants whose basketball seasons are guaranteed by their national championships.

Indeed, today the FIBA club competitions are the only way of holding the basketball season for Ukrainian clubs when there is a war in the country, and there is no national championship.

Taking into account the above, as well as the most difficult situation in the history of not only Ukrainian basketball but also in Ukraine as a whole, we kindly ask you to consider the possibility of granting BC Budivelnyk a direct place in the Basketball Champions League group stage in 2022/2023 season.

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