Marco Spissu's contract voided by Malaga after he failed his physicals, but Italian Federation states he's fit for physical activity / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Marco Spissu twitter page Credit Marco Spissu twitter page

On July 28, Spanish team Unicaja Malaga announced the signing of Italian point guard Marco Spissu on a two-year deal. Yesterday, though, Malaga announced that Spissu's contract was voided because the player failed his physicals. Since the official announcement, there's been a lot of chaos around this situation, so let's try to clear some things.

Marco Spissu

Position:PGAge:26Height:184 cmWeight:71 kgBirth place:ItalyProfileNewsStatistics

According to Spanish reporter Emilio Guerrero, the problem that was found during Spissu's physicals is a 'premature osteoarthritis' in his hips. Malaga believes that Spissu is able to play but with that kind of issue in his hips and a long season, injuries might arrive sooner rather than later, that's why they decided to void his contract and not proceed with his signing.

Spissu, though, just played the Olympic Games with the Italian NT, even if he saw a limited playing time, and that's why both the player and the Italian Basketball Federation decided to publish a note to clarify the situation. In the note, the Italian Federation affirms that "to participate in the Olympic Games Spissu received an eligibility certification to the agonistic activity, issued by the Medical Institute of the Olympic Italian Committee". The tests that the player was subject to, proved that he was fully fit to play and that he had recovered from an injury that he suffered a couple of weeks ago during the 'Hamburg Tournament'.

The Italian federation says that what Malaga found during the player's physicals, which was also confirmed by the Italian federation, is absolutely not related to the injury he had suffered in Germany. So, according to the Italian Basketball Federation, Spissu remains absolutely fit to play. The situation remains problematic, though. Malaga paid a buyout to Sassari to be able to sign Spissu (the buyout was worth around €85.000, a source told Basketnews), and with his contract now voided, the player might still be considered under contract with the Italian team, whom in the meanwhile has already announced the signing of the replacement of Spissu, Anthony Clemmons, and has already reached the projected budget for this season, a source told Basketnews.

The player's agent is expected to meet with Malaga in the coming hours to try to find a definitive solution to the whole situation.

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