Independent disciplinary judge confirms Olympiacos vs. Siena result

Euroleague Basketball's independent disciplinary judge has dismissed the protest concerning a clock malfunction during the final plays of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Top 16 Week 4 game between Olympiacos Piraeus and Montepaschi Siena on Friday, January 18. The protest was filed by Olympiacos. After having evaluated all the necessary information, the independent judge states in his final decision: 

• After careful review of the facts, the Disciplinary Judge is of the opinion that, until the final whistle, both teams were unaware of the game clock malfunction and played accordingly. 

• Both teams made use of the advantage given to them by the game clock malfunction.On the one hand, Olympiacos Piraeus had more time to put in place its offensive play, which could have paid off, had Mr Kyle Hines not missed from close range. Olympiacos Piraeus was also granted a time-out (within the litigious time-extension) and could have shot a winning basket. On the other hand, Mr Bobby Brown had more time to adjust his lay-up. In other words, the game clock malfunction was not to the only benefit of one team. 

• The Disciplinary Judge finds that there are no sporting reasons to order the replay of the game. It would otherwise lead to the unreasonable consequence that, because Olympiacos Piraeus missed its two opportunities to score during the last 10 seconds of the game, it would be given one more chance to change the outcome of the evening. 

• Such a result would be even less fair as a) it would be achieved through a protest (and not on the playing ground) and b) it was provoked by the defective equipment of Olympiacos Piraeus' own arena. 

• The very essence of sport is that competition is fair. Its attraction to spectators is the unpredictability of its outcome. In the case at hand and in spite of the game clock malfunction, those requirements are met. None of the teams enjoyed an unfair advantage over the other and the situation was uncertain as Mr Kyle Hines could have scored, Mr Bobby Brown could have missed and/or Olympiacos Piraeus could have successfully shot the last three-pointer. 

• As a result, the Disciplinary Judge considers that the score registered on the scoresheet is not abnormal and that his intervention in the present matter is not justified, either on factual or legal grounds. 

• It follows that the protest must be dismissed without any further consideration. This conclusion makes it unnecessary for the Disciplinary Judge to consider the other submissions filed by the parties. Accordingly, all other prayers for relief are rejected. 

The Independent Judge also states in his decision the significant differences between this case and the precedent cited by Olympiacos Piraeus, a 2010-11 Eurocup game between BG Goettingen and Besiktas JK Cola Turka, in its official protest : 

• “In the game between BG Goettingen and Besiktas JK Cola Turka, the last and litigious ball was live until the final buzzer went off. 

•In the game between BG Goettingen and Besiktas JK Cola Turka, the clock malfunction was favourable to the home team, which was granted extra time to score the winning basket.