Following the meeting, Mr Ivanov said that 22 basketball clubs will take part in the next VTB United League championship in the 2014–2015 season. The clubs taking part in last year’s competition – CSKA, Khmki, UNIKS, Lokomotiv-Kuban, Nizhny Novgorod, Yenisei, Krasniye Krylya, Krasny Oktyabr, Zenit, Lietuvos Ritas, Neptunas, Kalev, VEF, Astana, Tsmoki-Minsk, and Nimburk – will be joined by six new teams: Avtodor, Bizons, Letkabelis, Nevezhis, and Alitus, and one other club that will receive a special invitation.
Commenting on the problems that may arise over the agreement between the VTB United League and the Russian Basketball Federation over the rights to hold the national men’s championship, Mr Ivanov said that the League received the right to hold the Russian championship as part of the VTB League championship. Mr Ivanov said that in the event of a dispute, the League’s heads are ready to take the case to court.
The VTB United League is a basketball competition that was established in 2008 by VTB and the Russian Basketball Federation to bring together Eastern and Northern Europe’s best clubs.