CSKA Moscow 2019 EuroLeague champions
Photo: EuroLeague Basketball

Euroleague Basketball are exploring a possible two-group tournament to conclude their season, currently at a halt due to the coronavirus.

The board are still hoping that the season will be completed, with the Final Four scheduled in May, but, at this point, it is more likely to have a makeshift tournament hosted in one city.

“If due to sanitary reasons or deadlines it is not possible to play in the 18 team arenas, we would choose to concentrate all the matches in one or two gyms in a single city,” Euroleague’s Chief Operations Officer, Eduard Scott said to Spanish newspaper, El Pais.

The last option would be for the clubs to establish the corresponding modification of the competition format for a more direct resolution.”

Scott continued: “Players, coaches and club employees will have about three days to return from their places of confinement and get to work. Then a mandatory 14-day quarantine extension period will be enabled.

And, once all the teams are ready, a brief pre-season of another two weeks would start before resuming the competition. In total, it would take practically a month before being able to resume the season, which is how the NBA worked after the 2011-12 lockout. That period guarantees the health of athletes.”

Currently, only Moscow, Athens and Istanbul are the cities that can host such an event since they have two Euroleague arenas available.