ELPA director critical of EuroLeague progress: 'I am disappointed' / News - Basketnews.com

Nachbar was happy with the things made so far since ELPA's establishment but was critical of the EuroLeague's negotiating progress with the domestic leagues and FIBA, claiming that the limit of games EuroLeague players can play has been reached.

Credit: AP - Scanpix Credit AP - Scanpix

The EuroLeague Players Association (ELPA) has been defending the rights of its members since 2018. The organization is currently negotiating a new deal with the EuroLeague.

The EuroLeague Framework Agreement regulates how frequent practices or games should be for the EuroLeague teams, how soon the preseason training can start, how the contracts should be structured, and more.

ELPA's managing director, Bostjan Nachbar, thinks a lot of progress has already been made with the way the league functions after the organization he represents was established.

"I think that we have already made a lot of progress in these first years, especially in attacking the problem of non-payment. On the other hand, we have a second medical opinion system, which is very important and the players use it a lot. We have improved the standards in all clubs, both in medical parts and we have also put the rules on the length of the preseason, how much and when you can train," Nachbar said in an interview with Julian Philip from Mundo Deportivo.

"The season of a EuroLeague player is very difficult because he plays in a lot of games," he said. "And now we are talking with the Euroleague about how to grow together, although when you start talking about money, everything costs more."

Nachbar was proud of having achieved financial stability in EuroLeague clubs in regards to regularly and on-time paid salary.

"I think we have minimized the problem. In the current system, if you are not paying your players, you cannot sign new ones. That happened in the case of Crvena Zvezda, and it was quite significant because it affected [Facundo] Campazzo, but that's how it works," Nachbar explained.

Despite the improvements in some of the aspects of the competition, Nachbar is disappointed in the amount of progress achieved in other sections. Mainly, the number of games players compete in both domestically and internationally.

In some cases, EuroLeague players compete in more matches than their NBA counterparts.

"We have already reached the total limit of matches. More than now can no longer be done, but the problem is that there are national leagues and in the case of Spain, where the league is of a high level, it is crazy," Nachbar said. "The players do like to play games, what they don't like is traveling and practicing. That's why we seek a balance to reduce the number of practice sessions and make the preseasons shorter, with a maximum limit of 35 days. That's good, but there are situations during the season where there are too many trips and too many games, especially because the collaboration between the league and domestic leagues isn't good."

"There are many ideas but very little movement. The only thing they've done is they reached an agreement so that in February, the Euroleague players can go and play with the national teams, and that's it. I am already very... I wouldn't say negative, but I am disappointed because I thought that after a year of talking and negotiating, there would be more, and there isn't much," Nachbar claimed.

"And that is necessary. It is necessary not only for FIBA ​​but for all of basketball because a basketball fan, when he sits at home watching a game on TV, there are times when he doesn't know what he's watching," he said as an example. "And meanwhile, other sports and other leagues, especially the NBA, take advantage."

With the Russian teams already out of the competition, questions have since arisen about the future of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in the EuroLeague due to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, as well as increased tensions between Israel and Iran.

Nachbar is certain the EuroLeague won't make and drastic changes in the coming years. At least not before the global sports community changes its current stance of not allowing Russian clubs to compete.

"It will still take time to see the Russian teams again, as I see how the world works. Until they enter other sports, I don't think it will happen because I don't think the EuroLeague is going to take steps on its own," he said.

"Yes, there are extreme situations like that of Tomas Heurtel but also some Americans. The player knows that he only has one sporting career and he is going to take advantage of it to progress and win everything he can. If he receives an offer from Russia, it is difficult to reject it if you don't have anything else because you have his family, you have a life, and you need to take advantage of it. It's hard to understand sometimes but that's how it is," Nachbar concluded.

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