The last EuroLeague match of the season in Kaunas gave rise to a real controversy against a backdrop of geopolitics. While the Lithuanian people and the Zalgiris do not show their support for Ukraine, attacked by the Russian neighbor, Serbia, historically very close to Russia, is much more timorous on this subject. In March 2012, Lithuania blocked the agreement between the European Union and Serbia by brandishing the fact that Serbia was considered too close to Russia.
It is in this context that the Red Star therefore played in Kaunas this Sunday in a late match of the 21st day. Ahead of the match, during the official EuroLeague anthem, the members of the Red Star’s major five did not carry the “Stop War” banner in the colors of Ukraine, unlike the players of Kaunas and referees. In response, the Zalgirio Arena jeered at the visiting team.
Serbian players were not holding the ‘Stop The War’ banner during Zalgiris v Crvena Zvezda.
Kaunas crowd reacted with a loud booing pic.twitter.com/bRmV4rDhX1
—BasketNews.com (@BasketNews_com) April 3, 2022
A chant against Serbia erupted in Žalgirio arena. pic.twitter.com/RwloVaCFYW
— Marius Milašius (@mamilasius) April 3, 2022
Former player of Zalgiris Kaunas, the American Aaon White, present in the five of the Red Star, indicated on Twitter that the instruction had been given by the club, while he is against any type of war.
As a team we were told not to touch the flag. I would like to make it clear I don’t support the war and I want peace in our world https://t.co/cD3t9YlTIk
— Aaron White (@Aaron_White30) April 3, 2022
This Monday, the Red Star published a press release to return to this controversy. It is stated there that this decision was made by the club’s management and that Aaron White “obeyed without objection” and “showed by his example that he is part of the team”. The Serbian club qualified the gesture of carrying a flag with the universal message “Stop War” in the colors of Ukraine as “not neutral” and called this game “political performance and not sport”. In short, enough to add fuel to the fire between two clubs of the EuroLeague which has so far taken a position in favor of actions against Russia, with in particular the withdrawal of the three Russian clubs from the competition.
KK Crvena zvezda mts u cilju sprečavanja bilo kakvih spekulacija i politizacije gesta naših igrača pre početka utakmice u Kaunasu i košarke u celini, primoran je da se oglasi povodom svih dešavanja tokom utakmice u Kaunasu #kkcz #EuroLeague https://t.co/8M90ABNc0f
— KK Crvena zvezda mts (@kkcrvenazvezda) April 4, 2022
History will not retain the result of this match: yet Zalgiris Kaunas of Joffrey Lauvergne (former player of Partizan Belgrade, who has since remained very attached to Serbia) beat Red Star Belgrade after extra time, 103 to 98 An extension snatched from a 3-pointer by Tyler Cavanaugh.
.@tycav34 with the triple to FORCE OT! #7DAYSMagicMoment pic.twitter.com/tAGwPAWKyz
—Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) April 3, 2022