Are the ENBL's doors closing for Kosovo clubs?

In a single edition, a Kosovar club was disqualified after failing to show up to play two regular season matches, while another club withdrew a few days before the round of 16 match.

And now the “European North Basketball League”, known as ENBL, will be extremely careful when deciding to include Kosovar basketball teams.

Peja was disqualified from the ENBL on January 24, after failing to play two matches against Olomouc of the Czech Republic. 

Meanwhile, on Monday, Sigal Prishtina announced that it was withdrawing from the ENBL "as a result of unfulfilled financial and administrative obligations towards the ENBL, which were created by the club's previous leadership."

A few weeks ago, Prishtina boasted about their success in the ENBL and laid out their claims for success in this international league. But the current management also announced that the club owes a debt to the referees who have officiated Prishtina's matches in the ENBL during this edition.

In the round of 16, Sigal Prishtina was supposed to play a match against Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia on March 12. Dinamo Zagreb now advances directly to the quarterfinals. Prishtina's decision has also been confirmed by the ENBL.

In fact, Prishtina is leaving the ENBL for the second time. On September 29, 2023, the northern European league expelled Sigal Prishtina due to outstanding obligations. Among other things, Prishtina was still in debt to the league for the 2022/2023 season.

ENBL's media communications officer, Maris Noviks, emphasized to KOMA on Tuesday that Pristina's withdrawal will have an impact on the future of Kosovar clubs in the ENBL.

"Yes, the withdrawals will have an impact on the future of Kosovo clubs in the ENBL. In order to participate, clubs will face stricter financial conditions," said Noviks.

A longer answer for KOĞA was given by the general secretary of the "European North Basketball League", Edgars Zanders. He indicated that relations with the Kosovo Basketball Federation are very positive, but that this has not been reflected at the club level.

"We regret the decision of KB Sigal Prishtina to withdraw from the ENBL. The club is currently facing a serious financial and administrative crisis, which is a result of unprofessional management of funds by the previous leadership. To our knowledge, funds intended for the club's operations have been misappropriated," said Zanders.

He added that the situation is critical. He said that Pristina has not paid the players and coaches and has not found a solution for the debts to the ENBL referees.

The Secretary General of ENBL emphasized that work will continue with Pristina to seek constructive solutions.

Three withdrawals from two Kosovar clubs is too much for the ENBL. Zanders has hinted that Kosovar clubs also have debts to other parties.

"ENBL does not intend to repeat these mistakes in the future. In the future, ENBL will only consider cooperation with clubs from Kosovo under strict conditions. These conditions include the full repayment of all debts to ENBL and other clubs, a significantly larger security deposit and a written guarantee from the Kosovo Basketball Federation", emphasized Edgars Zanders.

The ENBL was founded in 2021. The headquarters of the organization that runs the league is in Riga, Latvia. So far, the league has been won by clubs from Poland, Denmark and Romania. In the current edition, a total of 26 teams were part of the ENBL. There were clubs from Germany, Greece, Romania, Croatia, Great Britain, Iceland, Poland, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Estonia, Slovakia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Austria, Norway and Kosovo. And only two clubs from Kosovo have withdrawn without completing the competition.