Tony Parker: “We are ready to play behind closed doors for one month”

By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net

The lockdown announced by French President Emmanuel Macron until the end of November impacts professional sports in the country, therefore affects LDLC ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne as well. Retired player and president of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague club, Tony Parker, claimed his team can move forward with home tilts contested behind closed doors for this month but no longer, relays L’Equipe.

“We are ready to play behind closed doors for one month. For the duration of the lockdown, just this month,” he noted, “We are prepared to move on without fans in the EuroLeague and in the domestic league. But it will be difficult beyond this one month.”

The delayed EuroLeague home opener saw ASVEL losing to Zalgiris Kaunas Thursday. Attendance was limited due to the coronavirus restrictions already in place. The plan for upcoming games will prevent fans from entering the Astroballe.

“We too are weakened,” Parker added referring to the overall issues stemming from playing behind closed doors, “Lacking an audience creates financial issues in the basketball business model.”

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