“Everyone knew about it”: Heurtel denounces double talk from the Federation on his signing in Russia

Heurtel sous le maillot de l'équipe de France cet été ? Rien n'est moins sûr. MAXPPP – FILIP SINGER

Thomas Heurtel, non sélectionnable en équipe de France de basket depuis qu'il a officiellement rejoint le Zénith Saint-Pétersbourg à l'automne 2022, a dénoncé jeudi le double discours tenu à ce sujet par les dirigeants de la Fédération française.

Thomas Heurtel, unselectable for the French basketball team since he officially joined Zénith Saint-Petersburg in the fall of 2022, denounced on Thursday the double discourse held on this subject by the leaders of the French Federation. The leader is ineligible for the Blues after going against a sworn certificate that he signed in the summer of 2022, like the other players selected for the Euro a few weeks later, in which he pledged, after the invasion of Ukraine, not to join a Russian or Belarusian club.

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However, according to Heurtel, the president of the Federation Jean-Pierre Siutat, the coach of the French team Vincent Collet and the general manager Boris Diaw were aware even before the Euro, that ;he disputed his signing at the Zénith. "Of course they know. Of course the charter was bogus. That's why you have to tear it up. Everyone knew about it. declared Heurtel on the "Skweek Show by Tony Parker", a show which will be broadcast Friday on the Skweek platform.

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with Heurtel starting, France won the silver medal at the Euro in September 2022. A few days later, his signing in Saint Petersburg was made official, then his exclusion from the Blues was announced by the Federation French. While captain Nicolas Batum campaigned for his return after the fiasco of the 2023 World Cup, where the Blues displayed deficiencies at the leader position, Heurtel "hopes to be" at the Paris Olympic Games.

"I have to sign elsewhere"

"I spoke about it with Boris (Diaw), Vincent (Collet)… They say that if I have a contract next season with Saint- Petersburg, it's impossible for me to make the Olympics. I have to sign (elsewhere, Editor's note) before the group's announcement. retained, in mid-May, said Heurtel. "This is the message that the Minister of Sports conveyed to the Federation" further affirmed the player, under contract until the summer of 2025 with the Zénith but who has an exit clause in 2024.

Amélie Oudéa-Castera declared at the end of August that there was "no question" to question the rules laid down by the federations concerning athletes playing in Russia. Heurtel also said he was ready to "return to Europe (in 2024) with a lower salary" than the one he currently touches in Saint Petersburg.