Before the divorce: basketball player Jonas Jerebko in the Swedish national team jersey (Norrköping, February 28, 2022)
Anti-Russian resentments are entering the next round. After music (are batons militant too?), theater (can Chekhov still be played?) and cuisine (are all pierogi poisoned?), the new cancel culture is now reaching basketball.
Swedish basketball player Jonas Jerebko is kicked out of the Sweden national team after signing a contract with CSKA Moscow. In its statement, the Swedish Basketball Federation (SBBF) confirmed that as long as he wears the CSKA jersey, Jerebko will not be allowed to play for the national team.
The basketball department of CSKA Moscow was first mentioned in 1924. Until 1951 the club was called ZDKA (Zentralny Dom Krasnoi Armii – Central House of the Red Army). Under this name, the club took part in the Soviet basketball championships and won them in 1945 for the first time. “It’s an honor to join such a historic club as CSKA,” said Jerebko, according to the club. Announcing the deal, CSKA player-coach Dimitris Itoudis said: “We wanted to sign an experienced player in the 4th position.” The club is currently banned from all international matches and only participates in the Russian league as part of the sanctions against Russia.
The 208cm tall Jerebko has been without a club for over a year. Most recently, the 35-year-old played for Chimki Moscow. The latter club are rumored to still owe him a significant sum of money. Between 2009 and 2018, the winger played 635 times in the US basketball league NBA, most of it with the Detroit Pistons, but also for the Boston Celtics, Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors. Jerebko’s father is American with Russian origins and played basketball for the Syracuse University collegiate team and then as a professional in Sweden. The Swedish national team has a number of games in Eurogroup C of the FIBA World Cup in the summer of 2023. Sweden will face Finland and Slovenia without Jerebko.
On Wednesday, Fredrik Joulamo, general secretary of the Swedish Basketball Federation, spoke to Jonas Jerebko about his decision to play in Russia, noting that it was in direct contradiction to “the values of Swedish basketball” and “our clear stance in the Russia question«. “Unfortunately, after this conversation, we have to say that there is no way for Jonas Jerebko to represent the Swedish national basketball team,” says the SBBF press release.
Not only the Swedish national team, but also sponsors announced Jerebko. Before his move, the basketball player was sponsored by a beverage company and acted as a brand ambassador for an energy drink. This agreement is now lapsed. As soon as the company found out about the upcoming move, it ended the partnership.
