Heated Ainars Bagatskis on Russian coaching offer: 'Are you crazy?' / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

The head coach of the Ukrainian National Team and the coach of Kyiv Basket, Ainars Bagatskis, appeared on the Sporta Studijas podcast and did not mince words regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The 54-year-old condemned the Russian government's actions and said that he received an offer to coach a Russian team recently.

"I told them: give me a machine gun and I will go through the Kremlin. Are you crazy? How can you offer me this? While Russia is being ruled by a dictator, working there is tabu," Bagatskis said.

The coach also said he talked to people he knows in Russia. However, not all of them understood the decision of Latvians leaving the country.

"One of them called me yesterday and asked, "How can you, Latvians, drive away in peace?' You have to play basketball," I said your country is attacking another, bombing cities, and there are casualties, but you say we have offended you."

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