Lithuanian basketball coach's criticism of FIBA is fair, PM says

  • 2019-09-11
  • BNS/TBT Staff

VILNIUS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis welcomed the criticism expressed by Dainius Adomaitis, coach of the country's national basketball team, against the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), saying it was a brave move

Skvernelis told the Delfi Demesio Centre program that even Lithuanian fans' unrepeatable chant during the Monday game with the Dominican Republic, which determined nothing, was "ambiguous" but emotional.

"Even that chant which sounded was fairly ambiguous. But an emotion was expressed in fact, and it probably was also in Adomaitis' statement. Somebody had to say this one day and it was done by ou brave coach," Skvernelis said.

He also criticized the FIBA.

"When key referees at the world championship do not do their job, one can hardly expect any quality. We really have hard feelings," the Lithuanian prime minister said.

France ousted Lithuania out of the world tournament over the weekend with a three-point lead. FIBA later admitted that FIBA admitted that the referees of France – Lithuania game made a mistake by not calling goaltending on Rudy Gobert who tried to push the ball off the rim after Jonas Valanciunas free-throw.

The three referees were subsequently banned the rest of the FIBA World Cup games.