The Basketball Federation of Macedonia (KFSM) has announced that the domestic league playoffs will not commence as scheduled due to a strike by referees over unpaid debts. The Federation released a statement detailing the financial issues that have led to this situation.

KFSM states it has not received any financial support from the Ministry of Sport, including program funds or funds from games of chance. This lack of funding has created a domino effect, impacting the Federation’s ability to pay referees and manage the league.

Last week, the KFSM leadership held two meetings with representatives from the Refereeing Commission. The President of KFSM, Pero Antić, proposed settling 50% of the outstanding debts to the referees to ensure the continuation of competitions across all categories. Initially, an agreement seemed to be reached, but the Refereeing Commission later changed its position, demanding complete settlement of the debts.

The Federation claims that the Refereeing Commission’s request for immediate and full payment is a departure from past practices, where debts were typically settled in stages. The KFSM asserts it made efforts to secure additional funding and presented a specific payment plan, but these efforts were rejected.

KFSM’s revenue streams include funding from the Ministry of Sport, league participation fees, and sponsorship agreements. The Federation alleges that some basketball clubs, whose debts to the Federation are increasing, have received little or no financial assistance from the Ministry of Sport due to “certain criteria.” Conversely, some clubs that received more funding were allegedly instructed not to settle their debts with the Federation.

According to the statement, the Federation secured a sponsor for the First League Men, eliminating the financial obligation for league participation for clubs in that league. Their remaining financial obligations are limited to licenses for foreign players and fines. The KFSM believes that if all clubs received their entitled funds from the relevant state bodies, they would be able to settle their debts to the Federation.

The Basketball Federation maintains its stance that the competitive season will remain suspended until all clubs fulfill their financial obligations. The Federation promises to continue providing transparent updates to the public regarding developments and related evidence.