Basketball club fined for importing US player without visa

  • 2007-04-13
  • BNS
Latvian basketball team ASK Riga has been fined 2,000 lats (2,800 euro) for employing US player Torraye Braggs without the necessary working permit. Braggs, 30, has also been personally punished with a 150 lat fine.

ASK Riga chief manager Girts Kalnins told BNS that Braggs has been employed legally and that the decision will be appealed. The managers of the ASK Riga club are confident that the permit issued to Braggs was valid and that he and the club have been fined wrongfully.

It is the second time the team has been prosecuted for work permit violations. A similar incident occurred during the 2005-06 season, and the matter is still the subject of a court appeal. Kalnins admitted that the "situation is embarrassing".

Braggs signed an agreement with ASK Riga in late February becoming the latest guest player joining the team.