Ettore Messina: 'I disagree that sport must stay out of politics' / News - Basketnews.com

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AX Armani Exchange Milan head coach Ettore Messina expressed his thoughts on the latest EuroLeague and FIBA decisions with regards to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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The basketball professor from Italy commented on Russian teams' suspension at Sky Sport.

According to him, the suspension is a fair judgment: "There is no such thing as sport pretending to be a world unto itself. I am convinced that it was important that the international federations have established a mechanism by which they suspended the Russian teams."

"I disagree with those who say that sport must stay out of politics because anything we do in life is political, any position we take is political," the 62-year-old added.

However, Messina was not completely satisfied with EuroLeague's abilities to control and monitor the outgoing situation. According to the four-time EuroLeague champion, the strongest continental league is lacking more clearness.

"I would have liked more clarity from the EuroLeague. Let's suspend everything until March 21, and then let's see... This is something that helps the competition, but it is not a stance against what is happening," told Messina.

Ettore Messina also voiced the devastating war after the last EuroLeague battle against Olympiacos Piraeus.

After a short comment on the contest, the Italian coach had some words of compassion for Ukrainian game official Boris Ryzhyk, who conducted the EuroLeague Round 27 clash in Piraeus.

"I would like to express our sympathy to the referee Borys Rhyzyk," Messina said at the post-game presser.

"I cannot even imagine what he's going through, who traveled here on such a horrible day for Europe, with the war beginning in Ukraine," he added.

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