Friday Frappé: EuroLeague dropped the ball before getting things right

In this week’s edition of the Friday Frappé, AGONAsport’s Peter Katsiris explains how the EuroLeague got things so wrong before finally making the right call to suspend the season in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

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On Thursday, EuroLeague Basketball announced the suspension of the 2019/2020 season as the coronavirus continues to spread across Europe. In an unprecedented move, the governing body for the top club competition in European basketball followed through with the sensible decision of suspending the season but not before showing its stubbornness.

Hours before EuroLeague Basketball announced it was suspending the season, the NBA announced that the 2019/2020 season would be suspended until further notice after it was revealed that Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz had tested positive for the coronavirus.

While no case of the coronavirus has been reported by any of the EuroLeague’s 18 clubs, it was a no-brainer to suspend the season as requested by the EuroLeague Players Association. But as sensible the decision might have been for EuroLeague Basketball to suspend the season, it seems the governing body was almost guilted into making that decision based on those made by the likes of the NBA and FIBA.

Just days prior, EuroLeague Basketball refused to accept Olympiacos’ petition to have the Erythrolefki’s clash with AX Armani Exchange Milan either relocated or postponed. Olympiacos raised concerns with EuroLeague Basketball over the club’s trip to Italy after being warned by health officials in Greece that the entire team would need to go straight into quarantine upon returning to Greece.

It took a second push from Olympiacos to convince EuroLeague Basketball to finally agree to relocate the fixture to Berlin, Germany. But even that decision seemed to be inconsiderate of the situation Europe finds itself in. The same region Milan are based in, the Lombardy Region, is one of the hardest hit regions in Italy since the country became crippled by the spread of the coronavirus. Asking Milan’s players and staff to travel to Berlin, especially when quarantine requirements have been imposed on those travelling from Italy, should have never happened.

The situation took a complete twist when Olympiacos’ official Twitter account tweeted that the club was departing for Berlin just hours before the decision from EuroLeague Basketball to suspend the season was communicated.

The announcement didn’t come in time for Olympiacos as the club had already departed on their flight to Berlin. The entire staff were put at unnecessary risk and if not by the relocation, but then certainly by the fact the Piraeus side wasn’t communicated the news earlier – even during the deliberation stages.

 It’s another example of the reckless leadership at the helm of EuroLeague Basketball – a group that will gladly put its players and staff at risk for the sake of keeping revenue flowing. Perhaps it’s time for EuroLeague Basketball to take a note from its counterparts at the offices of the NBA and FIBA.

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