“Less talk, more work,” – employees of the National Basketball League (NKL) quote the words of Mindaugas Balčiūnas, president of the association “Lithuanian Basketball,” who left just before the building.
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He, like the general sector Dominykas Domarkas, left the event immediately after the general NKL conference, during which the new president and vice presidents were elected, although his participation in the press conference was planned.
During the conference, it was stated that M. Balčiūnas rushed to another event.
Just before the conference, “Lithuanian Basketball” issued a press release promising to make decisions regarding changes in the Lithuanian men’s basketball team by July 24.
It is clear that this is a difficult time for the heads of the country’s basketball, as the national team’s results did not meet expectations.
The Lithuanian national team suffered a painful blow in Bologna more than a week ago and severely complicated their situation in trying to secure a ticket to the world championships, which our national men’s team has not missed since 2002.
“Conclusions and decisions will be made by mutual agreement,” said M. Balčiūnas in the “Lithuanian Basketball” podcast.
Two years ago, Balčiūnas became the association’s president and last weekend engaged in a war of words in the public space with Paulius Motiejūnas, the boss of Kaunas “Žalgiris,” who criticized him.
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“Decisions are already being prepared, they will undoubtedly strengthen Lithuanian basketball,” wrote Balčiūnas.
However, although intense work is underway behind the scenes to find a replacement for the main general Rimas Kurtinaitis, whose leadership process is unsatisfactory to part of the team players, the future of the national team leader Linas Kleiza also looks uncertain, but no official news has yet come from the “Lithuanian Basketball” headquarters, and at least two strategists have rejected the option of taking over the national team in this very difficult situation.
15min reports that longtime national team captain Jonas Valančiūnas emphasized the necessity of changes, which the heads of the association have already failed to implement, so he intends not to play in the upcoming FIBA “window.”
The Lithuanian team will start the second stage of the world championship qualifiers at the end of August against the teams of Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“If there are no two wins in August, then we can say goodbye to all chances and organize new elections – for coaches, presidents, and everyone else,” 15min quoted Jonas Mačiulis, who does not hide that he is interested in working in the association “Lithuanian Basketball.” – If there are no world championships, then there probably won’t be Olympic Games either, the whole cycle would be buried. What would the president do then?”
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