With Spain and seven other countries excluded from EuroBasket 2017 -- "at least for now" -- and six other federations warned, the Rio 2016 organizing committee said that it "will ask for explanations from FIBA, as it is concerned with the possibility" of losing top teams from this year's Olympics, according to AS. In Rio "a Brazil-Spain basketball matchup has already been sold as one of the main attractions of the first round of the tournament, meaning Spain's participation is a priority" (AS, 4/18). In Madrid, Raquel González reported Spanish Basketball League (ACB) President Francisco Roca has aligned with the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB) in the "war between FIBA and the Euroleague." Roca: "I am convinced that Spain and the rest of the sanctioned federations will compete in EuroBasket 2017" (AS, 4/18).
ITALY MAKES ITS MOVE: MUNDO DEPORTIVO reported the Italian Basketball Federation (FIP), which was one of six federations that was warned, "received the clear message from FIBA Europe and will do its part to avoid its national team being sanctioned and banned from EuroBasket 2017." FIP President Gianni Petrucci said, "FIP, FIBA and the Olympic Committee represent the law, and the clubs have to follow the rules. The pyramidal structure of European basketball must be respected and we are going to act according to the laws. [Italian clubs] Reggio, Sassari and Trento have to realize the damage they are causing to Italian basketball with their unilateral position. I hope that intelligence prevails" (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 4/18).
