ATHENS — The Greek Basketball League season opening games scheduled for this weekend were called off Friday by the league after it failed to convince players to call off a strike announced the day before.
The league said it has scheduled the games to be played next weekend and if the players do not show up they will be punished with heavy fines and possibly have their contracts cancelled.
The Greek Association of Professional Basketball Players decided to strike in protest against the tactics of the league and the clubs, as well as the state, for not keeping promises on wages owed and legislation concerning insurance coverage.
Association spokesman Lazaros Papadopoulos, a player for PAOK Salonica, said the strike will not be called off until the problems are solved.
"They threatened us about the strike, which is within our constitutional rights such as in every democratic country. We are not happy with the way the league is run," Papadopoulos said.
The players voted 151 to 24 to strike.
One team in the league, Maroussi, was forced to withdraw from the semifinals of the Greek Cup earlier this week when financial problems led them not to be able to fill up their roster.
The same team has also dropped out of Euroleague competition.
Meanwhile, Greek champions Panathinaikos Athens president Thanasis Giannakopoulos threatened next season to take his team to another league abroad if the league cannot resolve its problems.
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