Published on : 21/09/2022 – 17:45
The leader Thomas Heurtel, silver medalist with the French team during Eurobasket-2022, has signed up for two seasons at Zenith Saint-Petersburg, in Russia, which will prevent him from being selected with the Bleus and jeopardizes his chances of playing the 2023 World Cup or even the 2024 Olympic Games.
Announced near the Zénith Saint-Petersburg before the Euro, French international Thomas Heurtel is now part of the workforce of this Russian club which announced on its website, on September 21, 2022, the commitment of the 33-year-old player for “one year and one optional year”.
The French Basketball Federation (FFBB) warned in early August that French players engaged in Russian or Belarusian clubs would not be “no longer selectable” until the end of the war in Ukraine.
“The players and staff of the French teams will no longer be selectable if they sign a contract with a Russian or Belarusian club, as long as the conflict (in Ukraine, editor’s note) is ongoing”, explained the FFBB in a press release.
Thomas Heurtel had signed, like all the players of the France team, a certificate on honor by committing not to play for a Russian or Belarusian club.
Three days following the end of the Euro, where the French lost in the final once morest Spain (88-76), the former FC Barcelona and Real Madrid player has finally decided to join the Russian team. Asked by AFP, the French Basketball Federation has so far not reacted to the playmaker’s decision.
A third Blue in Russia
“We want to welcome Thomas to our team. He is a player of great quality and experience. We believe that he will help us achieve our objectives for this season,” said Xavi Pascual, the Spanish coach of the Zenith, quoted by the club.
The question of the selection in the French team of players playing with Russian or Belarusian clubs had emerged this summer following the signing of French internationals, Livio Jean-Charles (four selections) at CSKA Moscow and Louis Labeyrie (33 caps) in Kazan .
This season, Russian and Belarusian clubs cannot participate in the Euroleague, the most prestigious European competition between clubs, as since the start of the invasion of Ukraine.
Russia was also excluded from Eurobasket, which took place from 1is to September 18 in Germany, Italy, Georgia and the Czech Republic.
With AFP