Ukraine's national basketball team has been in Spain since the Russian invasion of their country. Last Thursday, the Ukrainians played against the Spanish in a World Cup qualifier (which they lost 88:74) and since then they have remained in Spain as guests of the host team.
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"The atmosphere on the court was incredible and the support for the people of Ukraine was very moving. It wasn't easy to play basketball with the players worrying about their families and children in Ukraine," the team's Latvian coach Ainars Bagatskis told Israel Hayom.
On Monday, the team traveled to Latvia where Bagatskis had arranged for them to stay in Riga for as long as they wish. Some of the players will return to their clubs around Europe.
"Throughout the world, when a country has a problem, peaceful solutions are found. Only weak people try to solve conflicts through war," says Bagatskis, barely trying to hide his anger at the Russian authorities. "The way the world is reacting to the situation and supporting Ukraine is incredible. For me, the war is not against Russia, but just against Putin himself. All my friends around the world, including my friends in Russia, are completely behind Ukraine."
Bagatskis, who in the past spent a few months as coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv, has been in Ukraine for several years. He has coached several top teams in the country as well as the national team. He says he is extremely worried about the situation in the country he has come to know so well: "I'm very worried because my friends in Ukraine have been sheltering underground because missiles are being fired in the street. One can not remain silent in such a situation. The situation is bad. I hope that a solution will be found quickly and that life will return to normal as fast as possible."
Asked whether he is afraid to return to Ukraine after the war, Bagatskis replies: "No, I am not afraid, because the Ukrainians have been showing over the past few days what they are made of and how strong they are. And Ukraine is not alone; the whole world supports it and will help it."
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