„We are starting an investigation. That is all I can say. For now, no further comments as I do not have more information,“ LKL General Director Rasa Liuimienė responded to a 15min call on Tuesday morning.
„We must investigate responsibly. We will do it as quickly as possible,“ added one of the LKL leaders, noting the seriousness of the accusations and their possible importance to the semifinal series.
„Neptūnas“ defeated „Juventus“ 102:84 on Monday and narrowed the best-of-3 series score to 1-2.
The Utena team issued a statement after the game accusing the Klaipėda captain M. Pacevičius of racism against „Juventus“ foreign player M. Lewis.
„Every time players step onto the court, they give their all – their strength, emotions, health, and heart. They train daily, sacrifice for the team, city, and fans, and fight on the court for a common goal, regardless of nationality, skin color, religion, or origin. Basketball has always been a sport that unites people, creating respect and community.
Opponents may be rivals on the court, but off it, we are all human beings deserving respect. Emotions, tension, and the fight for victories can never justify humiliating, discriminatory, or racist remarks. There is no and cannot be a place for such behavior in sports or society,“ wrote the Utena club.
– Utena „Juventus“ club strongly condemns the racist remarks made by the opposing team’s tall player Martynas Pacevičius towards our team player Maxwell Lewis after the game in the corridor.
The club has officially contacted the Lithuanian Basketball League, requesting an investigation and a thorough clarification of all circumstances of this incident.
We believe that respect, equality, and humanity are values we must all defend together. There is no place for racism in basketball. Never.“
Martynas Pacevičius categorically denied the accusations made against him.
„It is very unfortunate that click-based journalism still prevails in Lithuania, but I did not think basketball news portals would promote it as well. Publicly slandering my name without the slightest comment from me about the situation is at least low. Everyone who knows me knows that I am absolutely against any forms of racism,“ wrote the „Neptūnas“ captain on Instagram, adding the hashtag #Don’tDriveDrunk, reminding of another „Juventus“ foreign player Ivan Vraneš’s arrest for drunk driving before the semifinal series.
Soon the port city club also responded to the incident.
„Considering the accusations against our team captain Martynas Pacevičius regarding alleged racist behavior, our club categorically rejects these accusations against our player that would justify such claims.
Our team captain M. Pacevičius categorically denies the accusations made against him.
„There were no racist insults or remarks from me, and I can boldly say this is defamation of my name. I want to emphasize that I take this situation very seriously and am considering legal action against Utena „Juventus“ organization and its player Maxwell Lewis for defamation,“ said M. Pacevičius.
Our organization and everyone within it adhere to principles of respect, equality, and human dignity. The club maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any forms of discrimination, including racism, xenophobia, and hate speech. These values are an integral part of our daily activities both on and off the court.
We take every possible violation seriously, but we are convinced that any accusations must be based on facts, not assumptions or emotions. Therefore, we urge restraint from unfounded judgments and premature conclusions until all circumstances are established.
The club will continue to defend its reputation, community values, and its members’ right to objective and fair assessment, rather than gossip and premature labeling of our club members.“
The fourth game of the series will take place on Wednesday in Utena. The winner of the pair will advance to the final, where Kaunas „Žalgiris“ is already waiting. The loser will compete for bronze with Panevėžys „Lietkabelis“.
