Spanish Basketball League Fines Bilbao Basket $238,600 For '14 Offenses

Spanish Basketball League (ACB) disciplinary judge Juan Ramón Montero Estévez has imposed a fine of €210,000 ($238,600) on Bilbao Basket for "two serious offenses" that caused its expulsion from the league in July, according to the EFE. That expulsion was annulled weeks later. The two offenses were "failing to pay its debt to the ACB on time" and "the lack of payments to the majority of its players during the '12-13 and '13-14 seasons." Estévez is taking into account the club's current circumstances and the measures it has adopted "intending to reduce the harm to players and coaches." The first fine, of €10,000 ($11,360), is for "failing to meet economic agreements with the ACB." The second fine, of €200,000 ($227,250), is "for failing to meet agreements with the State or the players." Bilbao Basket will have a period of 15 working days to appeal the ruling (EFE, 5/13).