Home FIBA EuroBasket 2013 Coach Katsikaris leaves Russia

Coach Katsikaris leaves Russia

It didn’t even last one year, and Fotis Katsikaris has already resigned as head coach of Russia, two days before training camp starts for Eurobasket in September.

Vasily Karasev, originally the assistant to Katsikaris will now step in as coach on an interim basis and has the responsibility of conducting the first stage of training camp for the Russian national side. The executive committee of the Russian Basketball Federation will begin preparations for a new head coach on July 23.

Katsikaris took over from long term Russian coach David Blatt, who left his post after the Olympic Games last year in London. The Greek playcaller was given the task of steering the powerhouse nation to Eurobasket in Slovenia as well as next year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

The RBF said in a statement on the official website that Katsikaris had informed of his decision to terminate their contract early in a letter to acting president Julia Anikeeva.

“The Russian Basketball Federation sincerely regrets the decision taken by Fotis Katsikaris to refuse to work with the national team of Russia and the unilateral termination of the existing contract,” the statement said.

Russia have been drawn in Group D of Eurobasket along with Italy, Turkey, Greece, Finland and Sweden. The games will take place in the seaside town of Koper.

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