At the time the Russian army invaded Ukraine, Bagatsky was in Spain with the Ukrainian basketball team. There they played the 2023 World Cup qualifiers. Some players of the Ukrainian national team remained in the south of Europe, but most went to Latvia.
Bagatsky has a strong view of the Russian people’s reaction and opposition to the invasion of Ukraine. ” I can say unequivocally that there must be an opinion here.
One cannot walk here, as a large part of Russian society does. You have to tell me which side you are on.
Everyone says they condemn the war, but has anyone said that Putin or the Kremlin are to blame for this war? ”
The Latvian specialist said that there had been several talks with acquaintances in Russia recently. During the talks, allegations have been made that Latvian basketball players are leaving Russian teams. ” Another is crying and asking for forgiveness. Another calls me and says, “How can you, Latvians, drive away so peacefully? You have to play basketball.” I said your land is attacking another, bombing cities and there are victims, but you are asking why we have offended you, ” Bagatsky said.
During a podcast, Bagatsky revealed that he had received a job offer from a Russian club a few days ago. “I can say that three days ago the Russians offered a job. I said, ‘Yes, give me a machine gun and run past the Kremlin,’ that’s a joke.”
But you are crazy, how can you imagine anything like that? ”
” Russia is taboo for me as long as there is a dictatorship. When I worked there, I didn’t think so far. But now a decision has to be made. They often try to differentiate that sports are not politics, but in Russia sports are 100% politics, ” said a Latvian basketball specialist.
Ainars Bagatskis once trained two Russian teams – “Nizhny Novgorod” and “Yenisei” in Krasnoyarsk. The coach does not hide that in Russia sports are based only on public money. ” All professional sports in Russia are based solely on public money. Has at least one private company given money there? How many private companies are there? The sport has risen because of money, not because smart coaches work there, ” Bagatskis said.
The coach also revealed that more than 200 young Ukrainian basketball players with satellites have gone to Latvia. They will be accommodated here, fed and able to train – they will be a kind of basketball camp. “If they can’t go to school, they have to be employed differently,” Bagatsky said. The Latvian specialist added that one of the coaches of the Ukrainian national team went back to his homeland to help defend it.
“Yesterday another coach was ready to ride, but the bigger benefit is that he can take care of these children, support them, talk to them in Ukrainian. It’s a bigger investment. No one has canceled the defense of the homeland, but everyone has to do what he “Bagatsky added,” he said.
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