Romain Sato arrested, Fenerbahce Ulker cries scandal

Romain Sato, member of the Fenerbahce Ulker basketball squad, has been arrested and detained by Slovenian police under suspicion of traveling with a fake passport. As the Fenerbahce Ulker squad went through normal credential checks upon arriving in Slovenia yesterday for today’s Euroleague match-up with Union Olimpija, Sato was detained while his papers were further checked. After looking at his documents, the Slovenian authorities determined that his passport as a fake and they arrested him and is required that he spend the night in jail. Both clubs have issued statements on their websites and are translated into English below.

The full and translated official announcement released by Fenerbahce Ulker basketball club reads as follows.

SCANDAL

Fenerbahçe Ülker, has traveled to Slovenia by Turkish Airlines’ scheduled flight for the game versus Union Olimpija tomorrow.

During the checking process at the airport, our Central African Republic citizen player Romain Sato’s passport has been seized, justified by passport law and its practices of the country.

Diplomatic and legal transactions are started by our club against this illegal action.

That attitude, in conflict with law and diplomacy, against our player who has a Schengen visa, having entered several European countries and USA with the same passport, is not understood by our side and followed by our legal personnel and officials.

These illegal actions, in order for our player not to play tomorrow, will be responded heavily at the legal platform.

Country officials brought the situation to a point which our player arrested for a night by their outlaw actions, considering any type of legal and diplomatic sanction.

It should not be forgotten that this outlaw action, is not a problem between the clubs, it’s an international SCANDAL.

Every detail regarding the issue, is going to be shared with the public.

Source: Fenerbahce Ulker

The full and translated official announcement released by KK Union Olimpija basketball club reads as follows.

BC Union Olimpija Ljubljana regrets the situation involving the Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul player Romain Sato.

The situation has nothing to do with sports or our basketball club, but it is of legal matter, in which a club must not interfere and therefore not comment. We have been in contact with both Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul officials, as well as with the management of Euroleague.

Both managements fully understood that this case must be addressed from the authorities. We wish this situation, whatever it is, gets solved as soon as possible, and that player Romain Sato will play for Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul in Stožice Arena tomorrow evening.

Source: Union Olimpija