Sergei Monya on Russian Basketball's Isolation
RFB official Sergei Monya says foreign federations get informal warnings against playing Russia, even as talks continue with Egypt, Uganda and others.
Sergei Monya, head of the RFB's national and reserve teams department, says foreign federations are being told behind the scenes to steer clear of games against Russia, even after informal agreements are reached.
Speaking to Sport-Express, Monya set out where Russian basketball stands on the international stage. Individual sanctions on Russian players and coaches have been lifted in recent months, but the RFB and Russian clubs see little cause for optimism about the near-term picture.
"I think everyone is waiting for something. Federations of different countries, after preliminary agreements with us, are being told to avoid fixtures with Russia. That's understandable. Otherwise we're in close contact with many countries. We're very keen to play, especially with youth teams. A basketball player needs to play at least 15 games over the summer. Those matches are what build up his skill. Representatives of Egypt, Uganda, Serbia, Tunisia, Belarus and Turkey are coming to Expo Basket now. We already have games planned with teams from Uganda. Egypt is traditionally our basketball partner, and we're working out a match calendar with them too. We're ready to work with everyone, to play against everyone. We're open to dialogue and always grateful to countries that meet us halfway and hold sparring matches. Honestly, I've stopped expecting anything or thinking about it. If it's no, then we carry on working the way we have in recent years. Waiting for something just costs more nerves," Monya said.
The comments echo a broader pattern of Russian sport working around isolation rather than expecting it to lift: KHL president Alexei Morozov said on 5 September that his league is preparing clubs for possible flight disruptions, setting up a round-the-clock operations centre and pushing teams towards trains and buses. In both cases, Russian sports bodies are planning on the assumption that outside cooperation will stay limited, and adjusting their own logistics and fixture lists accordingly.
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