The FIBA Europe basketball organisation and the basketball Euroleague schedule

28.8.2017

Question for written answer E-005288-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Theodoros Zagorakis (PPE) , Santiago Fisas Ayxelà (PPE) , Bogdan Brunon Wenta (PPE) , Virginie Rozière (S&D) , Marc Tarabella (S&D)

National sports teams play an essential role, not only in terms of fostering national identity and inspiring young athletes to reach the highest levels of sporting performance, but also by promoting solidarity with grassroots sports.

In paragraph 94 of its resolution of 10 March 2015 on the Annual Report on EU Competition Policy[1], Parliament ‘urges the Commission to look into the restrictive and abusive practices of international sport federations, such as denying their members the right to take part in alternative sport events that are not sanctioned by the respective federations’.

Although the European basketball federations (through their confederation, FIBA Europe) and the European basketball leagues (through their union, ULEB) have committed to a new competition calendar, Euroleague Commercial Assets (ECA) has recently stated that it will schedule games of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague during the basketball World Cup qualifiers.

Considering the fundamental right of athletes to play for their national teams, as recognised by binding national law, what urgent steps or measures does the Commission plan to take to put a stop to actions such as this which, if they materialise, will adversely impact the development of national teams across Europe?

• [1] Texts adopted, P8_TA(2015)0051.