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Years ago
Markovic free to play in Europe
According to Ozhoops, FIBA have ruled in favour of Markovic. The Rozorbacks have sent out the following e-newsletter to fans...
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FIBA RULES AGAINST PIGS
The West Sydney Razorbacks were advised today that the Federation Internationale de Basketball, the game's global governing body, did not recognise the club's agreement with Steven Markovic and that it would clear him to play for the BC Red Star club in Serbia.
Like many other players in the League, Markovic had signed with the Razorbacks for the 2005-06 season via an official NBL agreement called a Proposed Player Payment Form which sets out terms and remuneration and is signed by the club, the player and the player's agent.
The document was an interim agreement signed by NBL players with their clubs while a final standard contract was being negotiated between the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance, the NBL Players' Association and the NBL.
The Proposed Player Payment Form was advised to the club as being a legally binding agreement committing the player to the club and the club to the player.
FIBA not recognising the agreement still leaves grounds for legal challenges says West Sydney Razorbacks' Chairman, Tony Looby, who also said the club would pursue the issue. "We, the NBL and Basketball Australia are absolutely stunned by the decision which fails to take into account a legally binding agreement under Australian Law," said Looby.
"We will be seeking appeals under the FIBA guidelines and looking at legal options in regards to breach of contract.
'I will be consulting with both Basketball Australia and NBL management re our Appeal options with FIBA, as the decision could have wider ramifications to the National Basketball League.
"We followed the NBL procedures for contracting a player to the letter and now those procedures have been found wanting by FIBA."
Looby said that Markovic's decision had proved costly for the club, "Steve walked out on the club just days before the season start leaving no realistic chance to adequately replace him with a point guard of an equal level - they had all been signed by other clubs. That decision by Markovic has no doubt cost us games and that can have serious financial implications on the club. As well as that we had heavily promoted Markovic as the key player of the season in all our marketing material."
Markovic had been due to sign the official NBL players contract on his return from Argentina in August where he had been playing for the Australian Young Men's team in the World Championships.
Looby pointed out that a precedent of a player being protected under Proposed Player Payment form already existed with one of the club's own players. Long-serving Simon Dwight, who was forced to retire with injury, was given a pay-out by the Razorbacks based solely on a Proposed Player Payment Form which he and the club had signed.
