EuroLeague determined to successfully complete season 

The EuroLeague is determined to successfully complete the 2019/2020 season, revealing that play will resume once the local authorities issue the green light.

Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage with Go Greek TV! 

On Wednesday, the EuroLeague Assets Shareholders Executive Board held a conference call, discussing the future of the 2019/2020 campaign with play currently suspended as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. At the moment, the severity of the pandemic means that matches certainly won’t be held during April, however the organisation is still full of belief that the regular season, playoffs and Final Four will all successfully be completed in the end.

The EuroLeague released this following statement:

“The Euroleague Commercial Assets Shareholders Executive Board met remotely on Wednesday, March 25, to analyze the evolution of the COVID-19 global pandemic in its collective and individual businesses, including the competitions and communities.

“Executive Board members agreed that:

“- The competitions will resume once the situation allows there to be optimal health and safety conditions for all participants, following the recommendations of the relevant health authorities and local governments.

“- Prioritizing the finish of the 2019-20 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season with its existing format, meaning playing the remaining Regular Season, Playoffs and Final Four phases. This would most probably imply ending beyond the originally scheduled May dates, with game frequency potentially being condensed, if necessary. The same priority will be applied to the 2019-20 7DAYS EuroCup season.

- Continuing to analyze potential alternative competition systems that could be activated only if the situation would so require.

“- Common policies and principles to be proposed to the EuroLeague Players Association and the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board, which include, amongst others: the potential return of players and head coaches to their home cities, and; players and head coaches’ commitments, including adjusted salary payments during the competitions suspensions.

“- Making the 2019-20 Financial Stability & Fair Play Regulations more flexible until there is more certainty on the future evolution of the financial situation.

“- The importance for all stakeholders (league, clubs, players, coaches, referees, ambassadors) to acknowledge their responsibility as points of reference and/or as sources of inspiration for many, to contribute in a coordinated manner to help combat COVID-19 in every way possible. This may be by raising awareness of how everyone can contribute to mitigate the spread of the virus, by staying as close as possible to those communities in need, or by simply providing those confined at home with some entertaining content around their biggest passion, basketball. The #EUROLEAGUEUNITED campaign will aggregate and expand the efforts already made by all stakeholders to support ongoing global campaigns, including #IStayHome or #InThisTogether.

“The conclusions of the meeting were subsequently shared with all remaining 2019-20 EuroLeague and EuroCup clubs.”

As it stands, the Final Four of the EuroLeague is scheduled to take place in Cologne, Germany between May 22-24, but the organisation has now recognised that those dates will almost certainly have to be pushed back. So far, 28 rounds of the regular season have been played, with Panathinaikos occupying sixth spot (14-14) and Olympiacos sitting in 11th (12-16). The top eight clubs qualify for the playoffs.

With the coronavirus situation somewhat unstable and unpredictable, no dates for the restart of the EuroLeague regular season have been given, however it is clear that the management will do everything possible in order to not cancel the campaign altogether. The fact that the Olympic Games have been suspended means that the EuroLeague does have more time to see the season out and play all remaining games.

It’s worth noting that Promitheas qualified for the quarter-finals of the EuroCup. The Patras outfit were supposed to play against Tofas Bursa.

Image Source: gazzetta.gr

Thank you for visiting AGONAsport.com, the only English based website for Greek sports fans across the world! Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and Twitter for all the latest news in Greek Sports!