By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Euroleague Basketball explains the decision on the 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16 Round 6 game between Darussafaka and Segafredo Virtus Bologna via press release denying any contact with the Italian Government or the Italian Basketball Federation. A statement issued by FIP President, Gianni Petrucci, followed in response.
Per Euroleague Basketball: “Following the suspension of the 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16 Round 6 game between Darussafaka Istanbul and Segafredo Virtus Bologna due to the impossibility for the away team to enter into Turkish territory, Euroleague Basketball would like to state the following:
• The decision of suspending the game and reschedule it has been solely taken based on the impossibility of Segafredo Virtus Bologna to enter into the Turkish territory due to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs restricting access to the country for any individual that has travelled to Italy during the previous 14 days.
• The Italian Government, the Ministry of Sport and the Italian Basketball Federation, have never contacted Euroleague Basketball regarding the before mentioned game, therefore recommendations of the mentioned bodies have not been evaluated to adopt this decision as they have never been received. The quotes from Mr. Gianni Petrucci, FIP President, published on several media outlets does not have any grounds as the FIP has not played any role on this situation.
• The only contact between Italian Institutions and Euroleague Basketball has been through the Italian Embassy in Spain, who asked Euroleague Basketball for information, and it has been kept informed about the evolution of the situation as agreed with them. Nevertheless, no recommendation arrived from the Italian Embassy.”
FIP President, Gianni Petrucci, response: “The press release of Euroleague Basketball is at least curious and would make us smile if we were not dealing with such an international situation. A sports injustice was taking place against Virtus Segafredo Bologna and Euroleague found a solution just 48 hours after the start of the game, after the statements I made on Radio Rai1 yesterday morning and the attention placed on the matter by all the Media, from CONI and the Cabinet of the Ministry of Sport in contact with the Cabinet of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with documentation in our possession.
There is only one truth in the words that I have just read, namely that we have not contacted Euroleague directly. The Italian Basketball Federation does not have official relations with Euroleague Basketball “.