By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
On Friday night (5/9), Olympiacos made public the letter sent to EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejunas about the 2026 Final Four bid.
The EuroLeague Head Coaches Board executive director, Goran Sasic, was mentioned in the letter, and the EHCB issued a press release clarifying the role of Sasic in the bid of Athens and also stating that contrary to Olympiacos‘ claims, a rent was paid to OAKA for hosting on July the 5th EHCB Coaches Congress.
Per the press release: The EuroLeague Head Coaches Board (EHCB) has taken note of recent public comments regarding the role of EHCB Executive Director Goran Sasic in the Athens 2026 Final Four bid.
The EHCB firmly rejects any attempt to undermine the integrity and professionalism of its leadership and its executive director, Mr. Sasic. Like all members of the EHCB management, Mr. Sasic performs his duties in full compliance with the association’s statutes and with the highest standards of transparency and neutrality.
The EHCB wishes to clarify that the responsibility for selecting the host city for the Final Four lies with EuroLeague management and its member clubs, not the EHCB. As our association does not have a vote or any direct role in this selection process, there is no conflict of interest between Mr. Sasic’s professional consulting work and his duties as our executive director.
Mr. Sasic is acting as an independent expert, leveraging his proven experience as the successful President of the Local Organizing Committee for the 2022 Belgrade Final Four. His expertise in event management is a valuable asset, and he has been approached in his private capacity to consult on the Athens bid. This is a common practice for individuals with specialized skills in sports event organization.
The first to be informed about this 2026 endeavor were EHCB president Dimitris Itoudis and EHCB vice-president Giannis Sfairopoulos, then EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejunas and EuroLeague president Dejan Bodiroga, followed by Panathinaikos and Olympiacos, via the club’s GM Nikos Lepeniotis. The same was the case when he was the LOC president in 2022; he was already the EHCB executive director. At the time, Mr. Sasic duly informed his then president, Zeljko Obradovic, vice president Pablo Laso, the Euroleague Management, and the Municipality of Belgrade, together with Red Star and Partizan representatives.
Concerning the second question about Mr. Sasic and the recent EHCB Coaches Congress held in OAKA, we have to inform Olympiacos and the public that the arena was not given for free to the EHCB. On the contrary, rent was paid for every part of the facility used, and this can also be confirmed by the municipality of Athens and the Greek Ministry of Sports.
The EHCB’s primary focus remains on serving the interests of EuroLeague head coaches and fostering the growth of the sport. We look forward to continuing our work with all EuroLeague stakeholders to ensure the ongoing success of the league.