Players of the professional basketball club Astana have issued a statement following the decision to disband the main team, reports infohub.kz.
The athletes, who also play for the Kazakhstan national team, addressed the public in response to the decision by the Ministry of Sports. The statement was signed by Rustam Murzagaliyev, Askar Maidekin, Ruslan Aitkali, Vadim Shcherbak, Robert Pan, Vladimir Ivanov, Alexander Zhigulin, and Oleg Balashov.
"Yesterday we were informed that, by decision of the Ministry of Sports, the main roster of the Astana basketball club ceases to exist. This is a blow to all of Kazakh basketball. The professional basketball club Astana is an 11-time champion of Kazakhstan, a 10-time winner of the Kazakhstan Cup, and a medalist of the West Asian Super League. Last season, we lost our coach and despite that, we won silver medals in the championship. Today we are worried not only for ourselves but for the entire future of Kazakh basketball. Astana is the base club for the national team. Twelve national team players represent our club. The national team faces the pre-qualification for the Asian Cup and participation in the Asian Games. Without our club, the national team will lose its foundation for development, and young basketball players will lose the opportunity to grow and reach a new professional level. This will be a loss not only for basketball but for all of Kazakh sport," the athletes said.
Earlier, media reported that the Astana basketball club would not compete in the VTB United League due to budget shortfalls.