President Unikaha Malaga: “A fine of 100,000 euros to Panathinaikos owner? This is like a tip! “

The president of the Unikaha Malaga, Antonio Hessu Lopez Nietoregarding the recent developments in Euroleaguecalling for accountability and institutional reforms that, he claims, needs European basketball.

The once -top referee of football did not cheer his words, criticizing the quality of arbitration and the management of crisis by the organizing authority.

Lopez Nieto’s intervention came a few days after the Panathinaikos owner’s public conflict, Dimitris Giannakopouloswith EuroLeague, with controversial whistles and punishments that lit fires.

The Spanish factor did not fail to comment on the case of the fine imposed on the powerful man of the “green”, expressing reservations about the transparency and consequence of the decisions taken. “If you want to protect the event, penalties must” hurt “and have an impact. A fine of 100,000 euros to Panathinaikos owner? This is like an endeavor ‘, Nieto said.

The 67 -year -old president of Unikaha Malaga is not a random figure. Before he went to the administration, he had a brilliant career as a referee, whistling in the World Cup, Euro, Copa America, Finals of European events, and of course seven classic between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

By 2021, when he took over the reins of Unicaha, Malaga’s team made impressive progress. Two Spanish Cups (2023, 2025), two trophies in the Basketball Champions League (2024, 2025), in the presence of a Final Four and the conquest of the Intercontinental Cup, are just some of the achievements credited to Lopez Nieto. At the same time, the Association has been upgraded organizational and financially, returning to the ACB elite.

In an interview with Basketnews, the Spanish factor spoke honestly about the pressure, decisions and integrity that one has to have in place: “You’re not looking for a reward. You make the decisions you consider right »he said.

Lopez Nieto was particularly concerned with the need for transparency and stability in European basketball, exerting indirect but clear criticism of the Euroleague for the management of the arbitration crisis.

“Arbitration hardens you to withstand criticism and decide with conviction”he said, stressing that his experiences from football are helping him today, in an environment where the pressures are not less.

With his term completing in 2027 and the future of European events being in the air due to economic and administrative tensions, the president of Inticacha shows ready to create a more transparent and competitive building.

His intervention is not just an explosion of indignation, but perhaps the first step of a collective pressure from the “middle” clubs that require a reason for developments.