EuroLeague to open investigation after bribery attempt in EuroCup final / News - Basketnews.com

EuroLeague will begin an internal investigation following Ukrainian referee's Mykola Ambrosov claims about an attempt to bribe him during the EuroCup final in 2021.

Credit: Imago Images – Scanpix, Fotodiena.lt/J.Elinskas Credit Imago Images – Scanpix, Fotodiena.lt/J.Elinskas

Following Ukrainian referee's Mykola Ambrosov claims about an attempt to bribe him during the EuroCup final in 2021, EuroLeague announced that it will open an internal investigation on the matter.

EuroLeague released an official statement:

In light of the recent articles published in several media outlets regarding the alleged intent to bribe one of the crew members officiating Game 2 of the 2020-21 EuroCup Finals, Euroleague Basketball would like to state the following:

The integrity standards of all Euroleague Basketball referees are based on a strong adherence to moral and ethical principles and values such as honesty, honor, dependability, and trustworthiness. Euroleague Basketball follows a very strict monitoring protocol to guarantee that all games are disputed under an unquestionable Fair Play environment, practicing a zero-tolerance policy for bribery and corruption. Euroleague Basketball will open an internal investigation to clarify the content of the statements made by the Ukrainian referee Mykola Ambrosov. Once the internal investigation is finished, Euroleague Basketball will publicly disclose its outcome, and if any evidence is found, will apply all necessary measures or sanctions against any individual who may have been involved.

According to Ambrosov, just before Game 2, well-known Ukrainian referee Boris Ryzhik approached him in a "coded way," offering him a bribe of 10,000 euros to favor UNICS in the crucial match.

Sharing the details in an interview, Ambrosov disclosed, "I must admit, what I am about to reveal may surprise many. But this is how it unfolded: three days before the game, I received a call from Boris Ryzhik, one of the most renowned referees in Ukraine.

He informed me that UNICS was in the final, which had a Greek coach and a Greek assistant. Ryzhik explained that Ilias Koromilas, a former EuroLeague referee, had approached him with a proposition, attempting to reach an agreement with me. If I agreed, Koromilas would directly negotiate for Kazan's victory with me."

Ambrosov decided to turn down the offer and resist the temptation of the monetary reward.

"I took no action then, and Ryzhik suggested I think about it for 24 hours. If I changed my mind and followed the plan, I was promised 10,000 euros. He even provided me with a Viber number to contact after the game. However, as we all know, Monaco won by 3 points," Ambrosov stressed.

The interview section from 38:00:

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