Bruno
02-28-2008, 04:57 AM
http://www.newstime7.com/haber/20080228/4-US-players-of-EP-refuse-to-go-to-Serbia.php
Four American players of Efes Pilsen basketball team of Turkey refused to go to the Serbian capital of Belgrade for ULEB Cup game against Partizan Igokea to be played Thursday.
Efes Pilsen arrive in Belgrade - 28 / 02 / 2008 08:56
Turkish basketball team Efes Pilsen arrived Wednesday in Serbian capital of Belgrade for ULEB Cup second round 3rd game against Partizan Igokea to be played Thursday.
Efes Pilsen, devoid of four of their American players who refused to come to Belgrade due to security reasons, were escorted to the hotel under tight security measures.
Efes Pilsen's American coach David Blatt said Drew Nicholas, Loren Woods, Rashad Wright and Andre Hutson did not make a good judgement of the situation.
"They failed to grasp what was going on, they did not understand that a guarantee was given. I need to focus on the team now. We will try to win the game with our players who are here."
ULEB official Diego Guillen who came to Serbia for the game was also at the airport to greet the team.
With the players who refused to come to Belgrade, Efes Pilsen were left with eight players in the squad, below ULEB's minimum requirement of 10 players.
Engin Ozerhun, Efes Pilsen's General Manager, said he mentioned this problem to Gulien. Ozerhun said Gulien told him it would not be a problem for Efes Pilsen to go on Thursday's match with eight players.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ozerhun who spoke to reporters on the plane to Belgrade said their American players Drew Nicholas, Loren Woods, Rashad Wright and Andre Hutson refused to go to Serbia for security reasons.
"We took that naturally because the U.S. government announced that it was not safe for U.S. citizens to travel to Serbia. We respect that. But on the other hand, Serbian government guarantees safety of our team. Besides our other American players Scoonie Penn and Kenny Gregory and our coach David Blatt are coming with us. Despite Albanian government's announcement, our Albanian player Ermal Kurtoglu is coming too, said," Ozerhun.
Ozerhun recalled that there was a 10-player threshold for team squads and said they had only eight players in their squad. He said he would take his chances and talk to ULEB officials in order to be able to play the game with eight players in the squad.
Ozerhun said those 4 players who refused to come would not find a chance to play for Efes Pilsen ever again and pointed out that they had time until April to transfer other players.
The Assembly of Kosovo declared independence of Kosovo on February 17th, 2008 and made an appeal to all countries of the world for its recognition.
This caused wide reaction in Serbia and triggered attacks by Serbians against some of the embassies of the countries recognizing Kosovan independence.
Turkey and the U.S. were among first countries to recognize Kosovo's independence.
A group of demonstrators threw stones at the Turkish embassy building in Belgrade during a protest march last Tuesday.
During another protest last Thursday, groups of Serbian protesters broke into the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade and set some rooms on fire in protest of Kosovan independence.
Four American players of Efes Pilsen basketball team of Turkey refused to go to the Serbian capital of Belgrade for ULEB Cup game against Partizan Igokea to be played Thursday.
Efes Pilsen arrive in Belgrade - 28 / 02 / 2008 08:56
Turkish basketball team Efes Pilsen arrived Wednesday in Serbian capital of Belgrade for ULEB Cup second round 3rd game against Partizan Igokea to be played Thursday.
Efes Pilsen, devoid of four of their American players who refused to come to Belgrade due to security reasons, were escorted to the hotel under tight security measures.
Efes Pilsen's American coach David Blatt said Drew Nicholas, Loren Woods, Rashad Wright and Andre Hutson did not make a good judgement of the situation.
"They failed to grasp what was going on, they did not understand that a guarantee was given. I need to focus on the team now. We will try to win the game with our players who are here."
ULEB official Diego Guillen who came to Serbia for the game was also at the airport to greet the team.
With the players who refused to come to Belgrade, Efes Pilsen were left with eight players in the squad, below ULEB's minimum requirement of 10 players.
Engin Ozerhun, Efes Pilsen's General Manager, said he mentioned this problem to Gulien. Ozerhun said Gulien told him it would not be a problem for Efes Pilsen to go on Thursday's match with eight players.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ozerhun who spoke to reporters on the plane to Belgrade said their American players Drew Nicholas, Loren Woods, Rashad Wright and Andre Hutson refused to go to Serbia for security reasons.
"We took that naturally because the U.S. government announced that it was not safe for U.S. citizens to travel to Serbia. We respect that. But on the other hand, Serbian government guarantees safety of our team. Besides our other American players Scoonie Penn and Kenny Gregory and our coach David Blatt are coming with us. Despite Albanian government's announcement, our Albanian player Ermal Kurtoglu is coming too, said," Ozerhun.
Ozerhun recalled that there was a 10-player threshold for team squads and said they had only eight players in their squad. He said he would take his chances and talk to ULEB officials in order to be able to play the game with eight players in the squad.
Ozerhun said those 4 players who refused to come would not find a chance to play for Efes Pilsen ever again and pointed out that they had time until April to transfer other players.
The Assembly of Kosovo declared independence of Kosovo on February 17th, 2008 and made an appeal to all countries of the world for its recognition.
This caused wide reaction in Serbia and triggered attacks by Serbians against some of the embassies of the countries recognizing Kosovan independence.
Turkey and the U.S. were among first countries to recognize Kosovo's independence.
A group of demonstrators threw stones at the Turkish embassy building in Belgrade during a protest march last Tuesday.
During another protest last Thursday, groups of Serbian protesters broke into the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade and set some rooms on fire in protest of Kosovan independence.