EXCLUSIVE: Serbia sets out to ban our team's participation in the European and World Championships if our clubs remain in the ABA league!

Foto: AP/Tanjug

Serbia's Basketball Association will be severely punished by FIBA for playing Serbian teams in the regional ABA league, exclusively revealed to Telegraf.

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Namely, the Serbian national team could be banned from future appearances at the European and World Championships and the Olympics if the home teams - Partizan , Red Star Telecom, Mega Lex and Metalac Valjevo end up playing in the ABA league!

This is the result of several months of war between FIBA and the Euroleague , and the fact that FIBA sent out  ultimatums to national associations ( including Serbia's ) . This speaks volumes that the European house of basketball has won the final round of a duel with Euroleague , whose answer is still pending.

-We beg the question, how will our clubs, Partizan or Red Star (whoever wins the semi-final duel in the ABA league), play Euroleague next year. It is a well known fact that the ABA league is practically a sister company of Euroleague and that success can only be achieved in the strongest European competition, solely with the ABA League. Both the clubs and the association are in a difficult situation - says Telegraf's source, and continues :

Foto: abaliga.com/KK Krka/Drago Perko/kosarka.si

- If the previously mentioned four Serbian teams continue to compete in the regional league in the upcoming 2015/16 season, the national team will bear the consequences. On the other hand, if the teams show solidarity and agree to the ultimatum proposed by FIBA for the good of the National team, they will not be able to participate in the ABA League, leading to the Euroleague, which is their key source of income and the reason why top players come to Red Star, and earlier Partizan - explains the source.

According to him, nor KSS nor other clubs, especially not Partizan and Red Star, will not make any formal statements on this occasion until they get an official confirmation in writing of what Euroleague thinks of this matter.

However, as Telegraf has unofficially come to know, club interests will not be put above the worth of the national team, and those teams will not play for the Euroleague if this ultimatum is put in force , so as not to damage the national team of Serbia and eliminate them from having the right to perform in European and World Championships .

Foto: Marko Todorović

Thing could have been different, because , according to our sources from FIBA , the head of the Euroleague Jordi Bartomeu agreed to make an agreement between FIBA and the Euroleague , provided that, he was to be one of the leading directors of FIBA in the next five year period, following another five years as an adviser.

- However, Bartomeu changed his mind at the last instant and this move by FIBA could be viewed as the result of a counterattack - concludes our very well-informed source.

(Telegraf.co.uk)