Vilnius - The governing body of Lithuanian basketball announced Thursday that it was suspending this weekend's programme of matches in protest at government tax proposals. In a press release, the Lithuanian Basketball League (LBL) said no national championship games would take place until December 29 in the face of "catastrophic and draconian taxes" planned by the recently-elected government of Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius.
"It seems that sports in Lithuania will not be ruined by the global economic crisis but by local politicians and bureaucrats. Sports will be in a catastrophic situation due to the proposed new taxes. Therefore, the country's best basketball clubs have decided to suspend the LBL championships," the organization said in a press release on Thursday.
The LBL said the protest was aimed at drawing the attention of politicians and bureaucrats to the problems of professional sport.
The industrial action has shocked Lithuania where basketball is regarded almost as a religion.
In its draft budget, the Lithuanian government proposes to increase the 15 per cent income tax professional athletes currently pay. Clubs also face making increased contributions to state coffers.
"The new taxes are being introduced in the middle of the basketball season, while all contracts with athletes and coaches have been concluded...Therefore, the increased tax burden will be unbearable for the budgets of sports clubs," said the press release, which was signed by all of Lithuania's leading clubs.
While the boycott is sure to win plenty of column inches on Friday's sports pages, it is a high-risk strategy that could easily backfire.
Lithuanian basketball players have received handsome bonuses from the state in the past for performing well in international competitions and with recession imminent in the Baltic state, sympathy for well-paid athletes could be in short supply.
