FIBA Breaks off Relations with Basketball's Euroleague
The Board of FIBA-Europe met informally today prior to the final games of FIBA’s European Championship for Men to evaluate recent developments in its relationship with ULEB-Euroleague, and has come to the conclusions below.
Despite recent efforts undertaken to find a solution and the possibility of working together with ULEB-Euroleague, FIBA-Europe has come to the conclusion that it is a very difficult task to realise. FIBA-Europe, the European governing body for basketball, has made repeated efforts accompanied by important concessions. Unfortunately the interpretations of the different meetings, and especially of the latest meeting on 21st August 2001, vary so widely that it would be better for European basketball to cease all contact between FIBA-Europe and ULEB-Euroleague and begin working differently.
In this respect:
1. FIBA-Europe reminds that according to the decisions of the General Assembly in Bad Kreuznach in May 2001 it does not recognise either ULEB or the Euroleague. It undertakes to inform all those involved with basketball accordingly.
2. FIBA is the only world governing body responsible for international referees and commissioners. According to its Bye-Laws and Internal Regulations, those who choose to officiate for Euroleague are automatically deleted from the FIBA list for FIBA’s international club competitions during the same season.
3. Each national federation has the right to act with the referees for its competitions as it sees fit. The same is also valid for commissioners. Upon request by the national federations, the President and Secretary General of FIBA-Europe are responsible for assessing all particular cases.
4. Only those player licenses recognised and issued by FIBA are valid for international competitions and in the case of dispute during international transfers. It must be stressed that the NBA only recognises FIBA licenses.
5. Only those anti-doping controls recognised and conducted by FIBA or WADA are valid at international level.
6. The clubs are free to play wherever they wish. Each national federation is free to act with its clubs within the framework of its competitions as it sees fit.
7. FIBA will closely observe the follow-up of the Nice EU summit decisions and try to speed up the application thereof.
8. FIBA-Europe, being united at all levels and looking to the future, has the following priorities:
a. The restructuring of FIBA-Europe;
b. National team competitions;
c. Developing a new, complete and integrated structure of European club competitions.
For more details contact:
Jon Ingram
Press Assistant
FIBA Communications Dept
Tel: (49+89) 74 81 58-0
Fax: (49+89) 74 81 58-33
Email: communications@office.fiba.com
Website: http:\\www.fiba.com
Despite recent efforts undertaken to find a solution and the possibility of working together with ULEB-Euroleague, FIBA-Europe has come to the conclusion that it is a very difficult task to realise. FIBA-Europe, the European governing body for basketball, has made repeated efforts accompanied by important concessions. Unfortunately the interpretations of the different meetings, and especially of the latest meeting on 21st August 2001, vary so widely that it would be better for European basketball to cease all contact between FIBA-Europe and ULEB-Euroleague and begin working differently.
In this respect:
1. FIBA-Europe reminds that according to the decisions of the General Assembly in Bad Kreuznach in May 2001 it does not recognise either ULEB or the Euroleague. It undertakes to inform all those involved with basketball accordingly.
2. FIBA is the only world governing body responsible for international referees and commissioners. According to its Bye-Laws and Internal Regulations, those who choose to officiate for Euroleague are automatically deleted from the FIBA list for FIBA’s international club competitions during the same season.
3. Each national federation has the right to act with the referees for its competitions as it sees fit. The same is also valid for commissioners. Upon request by the national federations, the President and Secretary General of FIBA-Europe are responsible for assessing all particular cases.
4. Only those player licenses recognised and issued by FIBA are valid for international competitions and in the case of dispute during international transfers. It must be stressed that the NBA only recognises FIBA licenses.
5. Only those anti-doping controls recognised and conducted by FIBA or WADA are valid at international level.
6. The clubs are free to play wherever they wish. Each national federation is free to act with its clubs within the framework of its competitions as it sees fit.
7. FIBA will closely observe the follow-up of the Nice EU summit decisions and try to speed up the application thereof.
8. FIBA-Europe, being united at all levels and looking to the future, has the following priorities:
a. The restructuring of FIBA-Europe;
b. National team competitions;
c. Developing a new, complete and integrated structure of European club competitions.
For more details contact:
Jon Ingram
Press Assistant
FIBA Communications Dept
Tel: (49+89) 74 81 58-0
Fax: (49+89) 74 81 58-33
Email: communications@office.fiba.com
Website: http:\\www.fiba.com