Martens is history

Departure of the president divides basketball players

Gerald Martens (right) with BC Vienna captain Bogic Vujosevic

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

A bang in domestic basketball! Association president Gerald Martens resigned with immediate effect at a board meeting with three of his followers - including Vienna's basketball boss Thomas Holzgruber.

"Our main goal was to reach the Olympic Games with the 3x3 team, but we didn't achieve that," says Martens, who had often been criticized for forgetting about classic basketball during his five years in office. But it is also a fact that Martens and his team breathed new life into a dead association, and by promoting the 3x3 sport, they were able to raise the necessary funds. "Consolidated income has risen from 1.8 million to 6.4 million," says Martens, not wanting to be talked down about his work.

Opinions about the now ex-president are correspondingly divided. Petar Stazic, manager of Vienna's remaining Superliga club BC Vienna, says: "The last five years have been positive. A lot has happened. Of course 3x3 was very present in the media, but it was also advertising for our sport of basketball." Bernhard Oliva, manager of the relegated Timberwolves, agrees: "3x3 has brought a lot of momentum overall. We have a lot of kids who have started playing basketball as a result."

Oberwart boss Thomas Linzer (left)

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The current champions take a completely different view of the matter. "I'm not surprised by the resignation. The association needs a president who knows that 5x5 is the core business," says Oberwart boss Thomas Linzer, hoping that "the regional associations and clubs will now seize the opportunity to move in the right direction together".

Before the election of a new board, which Stauten says is now necessary, Upper Austria's basketball president Karl Winkler will take over as the oldest remaining board member. "I was surprised by this action," said the 69-year-old to the "Krone". He is not available for anything more than interim leadership of the association: "You don't need a 69-year-old as president. It's time to give young people a chance!"