Today , Basketball Federation of Serbia has replied to FIBA Europe letter, where FIBA asked for information regarding the measures that KSS will undertake on the issue of Partizan behavior in Euro Cup. The letter addressed to Kamil Novak, a regional FIBA Europe director, says:
“ Dear Mr. Novak,
According to your letter about particular measures that will be undertaken by Basketball Federation of Serbia, regarding KK Partizan NIS after their decision to participate in Euro Cup, I would like to inform you that KSS Managing Board has, in accordance to decision made by FIBA Europe Board at the meeting in Paris on March 20, 2016, ON April 19 decided any club in Serbia that sings contract with EKA and accept participation in Euro Cup will be automatically suspended from KSS. This decision clearly states that this refers to all national competitions in all categories , as well as to other rights and liabilities that any club, as a member of KSS, has. In the decision made by KSS Managing Board it is clear that we are applying particular measures toward KK Partizan NIS because of their decision regarding their participation in Euro Cup. KSS is part of FIBA Europe, with all rights and liabilities arising from the membership. Thus, in Serbia, we respect and implement all decisions made by FIBA Europe Board, according to our statute.
On this occasion, on behalf of KSS, I would like to ask people in FIBA Europe some questions. Namely, from the list of the Euro Cup participants , it is clear that all clubs which had possibility to play Euro Cup have decided to use this opportunity . The only clubs which refused participation in Euro League and Euro Cup are all French clubs and Serbian Club Mega Leks. Mega Leks has made such decision after it had consultations with KSS, the only Federation in Europe which , desiring to make clubs more interested for FIBA Champion League , offered particular financial support in the amount of euro 50,000 to the clubs if they accept to join FIBA Championship League. The information we received from FIBA that German, , Italian, Spanish , Russian and some other clubs which do not play in Euro League , will play FIBA Champion League turned to be incorrect. Anyway , it is obvious , at least at the moment, that FIBA has been completely defeated in the war between FIBA and EKA. Here we come to our question what will be the further FIBA Europe policy? Will we bury head in the sand and pretend that nothing happened or shall we , in accordance to the current reality, change our policy and way of our struggle to preserve European basketball? Are we going to continue with the punishment and suspension policy where, as the result , the strongest basketball European nations such as Spain, Lithuania, Italy , Greece, Russia , Serbia , will be left without any qualitative domestic leagues, because without clubs that play in Euro League and Euro Cup , national competitions in the most of basketball strongest European countries will have no sense.
Apart from this question about particular measures that FIBA Europe will undertake, I have one more question . What will You as FIBA Europe Regional Director, Mr. Demirel, as a FIBA Europe President , as well as other FIBA Europe officials particularly do , considering the fact that we are in this situation? Do you see your responsibility for this and do you intend , according to that responsibility, to undertake particular steps ?
Sincerely hoping that we shall find solution for this very complex , sensitive and complicated situation .
Yours faithfully,
Dragan Djilas
The President of the Basketball Federation of Serbia, a country whose male national team is second in the world, and female team is the first in Europe”