Lithuanian government addresses EuroLeague asking to cut ties with Russian teams / News - Basketnews.com

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Lithuanian Minister of Education, Science and Sports Jurgita Siugzdiniene addressed EuroLeague CEO Jordi Bertomeu and all 18 clubs, asking for sanctions against three Russian clubs, sources say BasketNews.

Free throws this season

73%11,8Points made:11,8Accuracy:73,2%Place in standings:11Record max:24Record min:2Most made FTs:Jordan LoydTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

According to sources, Siugzdiniene officially asks EuroLeague to cut ties with CSKA Moscow, Zenit St. Petersburg, and UNICS Kazan until Russia won't conclude its aggression against Ukraine.

In his response to Siugzdiniene, Jordi Bertomeu pointed out that all 18 teams condemned the war in Ukraine.

However, they all agreed that relocating Russian teams to neutral arenas would help to continue the season as smoothly as possible.

"However, this doesn't rule out that there might be some decisions taken in today's meeting," Bertomeu concluded in his response.

Zalgiris general manager and owner Paulius Motiejunas was the first to suggest boycotting all games against Russian clubs, but he didn't receive any support from the rest of the EuroLeague clubs in the 18-team videoconference on Friday.

"We don't want to play with clubs from a country that is using military aggression, and this is a position that we suggested to the EuroLeague and its clubs. However, the league and its clubs leaned towards a smooth finish of the season," Paulius Motiejunas quoted in an official release.

In Monday's ECA Shareholders meeting, 13 clubs should have confirmed Belgrade as a new venue for EuroLeague's Final Four and presented the idea of Russian teams playing in neutral venues.

However, due to strict sanctions against Russia, which are putting pressure on the country financially and logistically, the EuroLeague might take some bold decisions regarding the CSKA, Zenit, and UNICS future this season.

Zenit's non-domestic players and staff are free to leave and return to their home countries, per the SDNA report, which was confirmed by BasketNews sources.

Also, CSKA officially announced that five players, Tornike Shengelia, Marius Grigonis, Johannes Voigtmann, Joel Bolomboy, and Iffe Lundberg, are returning home.

Per BasketNews sources, Jarrell Brantley is also departing from UNICS Kazan.

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