After the decision of the Italian Basketball Federation to reduce the number of foreigners allowed to play for each team in the Italian Championship from 4 to 3, the assembly of the Lega A teams anounced the decision of boycotting next season's Championship and Italian NT youth competitions.
A further deduction of non-Europeans was planned for the season 2010-2011 in order, according to the President of the Italian Federation, to raise salaries for Italian and European players.
The presidents of the Lega A teams decided to block next season's edition of the Championship and plan a parallel youth Championship, while they also denied providing players for Italy's youth National Teams, a decision which outraged the President of the Federation, Dino Meneghin.
"I am absolutelly outraged! We have to love the "blue jersey", not avoid it. I started playing for the National Teams at 16 and i cannot accept anyone preventing a youngster that deserves it, to play with the National Team. We have worked with the President of the League for 8 months and now they are blackmailing us with the youngsters. I do not accept it! I cannot continue working under constant blackmail. And of course i will not sit on any negotiation table while they continue this attitude." Meneghin said.
It seems that a war has just started that could have terrible consequences for Italian basketball.
