Lithuania does not understand an idea of joint basketball championship with Belarus

Official representatives of Lithuania have criticized an idea of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation to hold the 2015 European Women Basketball Championship jointly with Belarus.

“If one wants a state to participate, firstly, positions should be agreed upon and then statements can be made. We haven’t seen these procedures yet,” Director of Department of Physical Education and Sport Klemensas Rimšelis told BNS news agency on Thursday.

The Lithuanian MFA was not pleased with the statement of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation, BNS learned from a diplomat, who drew attention to the fact that EP President Jerzy Buzek called on the International Ice Hockey Federation on Wednesday not to hold its 2014 world championship in Minsk until all political prisoners are released.

Director General of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation Mindaugas Balčiūnas said at a press conference on Thursday that the basketball federations of Lithuania and Belarus had made a joint bid for hosting the European Women Basketball Championship.

“Our common aim with Belarus is to get the right to hosting the 2015 European Women Basketball Championship,” Balčiūnas said.