You're reading: Youth and Sports Minister: Ukraine happy with FIBA Europe decision to relocate EuroBasket 2015

Kyiv is happy with the decision of the Board of FIBA Europe to relocate the EuroBasket 2015 European Basketball Championship to another country, Ukraine's Youth and Sports Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Bulatov has said.

“The holding of the EuroBasket 2015 in Ukraine in the current
circumstances would hardly be appropriate. We understand that this is
too expensive and risky for the country, which reduces its budget and is
actually fighting a war in its east,” the ministry’s press service
quoted Bulatov as saying.

He said following a series of talks between FIBA Europe and the
Ukrainian government, the former suggested relocating the 2015
tournament to another country, and giving Ukraine a priority right to
host EuroBasket 2017 in return.

“We are grateful to FIBA for turning this proposal into a formal decision today,” the minister said.

According to him, the cabinet continues to cooperate with investors
on building basketball arenas. “We intend to hold EuroBasket 2017 in
Ukraine properly,” Bulatov said.