Igor Rakocevic has voiced his opinion on the EuroLeague. The former Serbian basketball player believes that the “eternal” rivals deserve a place in the elite competition.
Lately, there has been increasing talk about changes in the EuroLeague, including the potential inclusion of Dubai as a participant in the 2024/2025 season. Consequently, the question arises whether Crvena zvezda and Partizan will play in the elite competition next season. Igor Rakocevic asserts that the “eternal” rivals deserve a spot in the EuroLeague.
“If Serbia doesn’t have two representatives in the EuroLeague next year, then criteria such as tradition, basketball quality, development of young EuroLeague players, the size of the audience, the most passionate atmospheres at games, EuroLeague promotion, and the contribution of many outstanding players to Europe – are not considered in the decision-making process,” Rakocevic stated.
“That Crvena zvezda and Partizan might not play in the EuroLeague next year, considering everything they’ve contributed to Europe, with such immense interest and the largest fanbase, is, at the very least, unfair. If money is the most crucial factor, and if a club from a wealthier country with a bigger budget takes precedence, then it ceases to be a sport in its original sense. In such a scenario, basketball and the fans lose the most.
If new clubs are to join the EuroLeague, it would be better to expand it rather than exclude one of the two most popular teams,” wrote Rakocevic on his Twitter account.