By Fatih Erel
ISTANBUL (AA) – Just days after Moscow launched its war on Ukraine, Russian clubs CSKA Moscow, Zenit and UNICS Kazan were suspended from the ongoing season of the EuroLeague, the continent’s premier basketball tournament.
A proposal now under consideration calls for the Russian teams to be completely expelled from the 2021-22 season and the results of matches they have already played to be annulled.
The plan, however, has the remaining 15 teams divided, with those who won their fixtures against the Russian teams challenging the move.
If it is implemented, the two Turkish sides in the EuroLeague – Fenerbahce Beko and Anadolu Efes – will also be in opposing camps.
Fenerbahce will feel hard done, having won all three of their games against Russian opponents, while Anadolu Efes will be all too happy to give up their two victories and four defeats.
Fenerbahce are currently in 10th place with 12 wins and 13 losses, but three of those victories could be struck out under the proposed plan.
Anadolu Efes, on the other hand, could jump up to fifth spot as their record would improve to 12 wins and eight defeats.
If the proposed move goes through, the revised EuroLeague standings will be as follows:
| Teams | Games | Wins | Defeats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 22 | 18 | 4 |
| 2 | Real Madrid | 21 | 16 | 5 |
| 3 | AX Armani Exchange Milan | 22 | 16 | 6 |
| 4 | Olympiakos | 22 | 15 | 7 |
| 5 | Anadolu Efes | 20 | 12 | 8 |
| 6 | Bayern Munich | 22 | 12 | 10 |
| 7 | Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | 21 | 11 | 10 |
| 8 | Monaco | 23 | 10 | 13 |
| 9 | Crvena zvezda | 21 | 9 | 12 |
| 10 | Fenerbahce Beko | 22 | 9 | 13 |
| 11 | ALBA Berlin | 20 | 8 | 12 |
| 12 | Bitci Baskonia | 22 | 7 | 15 |
| 13 | LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | 22 | 7 | 15 |
| 14 | Panathinaikos | 22 | 6 | 16 |
| 15 | Zalgiris Kaunas | 22 | 6 | 16 |