• Profile Shengelia's last dance

Georgian President Salomé Zurabishvil described Thursday as "unacceptable" that the captain of the national basketball team, Tornike Shengelia, has signed with CSKA, the club of the Russian Army, a country that attacked Georgia militarily in 2008.

"I regret this fact. For me, as president of Georgia, the decision of the captain of the national team to sign for CSKA is unacceptable," the president wrote on Facebook.

Shengelia broke ties with Kirolbet Baskonia on Thursday after six seasons as Barca and after lifting the title of champion of the Spanish Basketball League, to join the discipline of CSKA.

Speaking to Georgian television, the 28-year-old power forward indicated that he has signed a three-year contract with the Russian club , the second European club with the most titles after Real Madrid.

"I do not intend to justify myself. I am going to play basketball. It will not change my relationship with Georgia and I hope it will not change the attitude of the Georgian people towards me either," the player told Rustavi-2 television channel.

Shengelia's decision to sign for CSKA sparked angry reactions among Georgian fans on social media. "Russia uses Shengelia in the propaganda against Georgia", "As long as I play in the national team you have to boycott the matches", "You cannot be captain of the national team", say some of the comments collected by digital sportall.ge.

However, the Georgia Basketball Federation issued a statement stressing that "regardless of the club in which she plays, Shengelia will defend the honor and interests of the homeland and the national team."

After the five-day war in August 2008, Russia recognized the Georgian separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abajsia as independent states , a decision that led Tbilisi to sever diplomatic relations with Moscow, a situation that continues to this day.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Georgia
  • Russia
  • Real Madrid
  • Facebook
  • Spain
  • sports

ACB 2019 - 2020Prepelic: "I don't think I will return to Real Madrid"

TransportEuropean veto punishes Spanish airlines while Iberia already parks planes

LaLiga Santander 2019 - 2020The incredible infallibility of Sergio Ramos

See links of interest

  • Last minute
  • Spanish translator
  • Programming
  • 2020 calendar
  • Horoscope today
  • League classification
  • Santander League Calendar
  • Movies today
  • Themes
  • Malaga - Deportivo de La Coruña
  • Real Oviedo - Las Palmas
  • Fiorentina - Cagliari
  • Genoa - Napoli
  • Barcelona - Espanyol, live