FIBA Europe has confirmed an immensely talented line-up of 80 participants for its innovative TIME-OUT project.
The unique one-time project, targeted at recently retired basketball players who want to continue their post-playing careers in the field of sport, has attracted an impressive roll of honor including Olympians, European national and club champions.
Among the stand out names on the list of participants are Bostjan Nachbar, Ann Wauters, Jiri Welsch, Maria Stepanova and Nevriye Yilmaz.
The full list of participants is available here.
"The caliber of the participants underlines the enormity of this project, which is among the most important which FIBA Europe has undertaken in assisting in the furthering of player careers,' commented FIBA Executive Director Europe, Kamil Novak.
"I am confident the participants will show the same aptitude and professionalism that defined their playing careers, as they take this next major step in their lives."
With co-funding from the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, and in conjunction with Northumbria University in Newcastle, United Kingdom, the participants will work towards earning a master's degree in sport administration, beginning on the final weekend of FIBA EuroBasket Women 2017 in Prague, Czech Republic (June 23-25) and concluding in August 2017 in Budapest, Hungary.
Meanwhile, the Kosovo Basketball Federation (KBF) has proposed for this program Elvira Dushku, former basketball player of University of Prishtina, winner of dozens of trophies in Kosovo, now in the role of the Acting Secretary General and Ard Islam, former basketball player of all generations in Prishtina, who recently played for BC RTV 21. Islami is currently working in KBF as finance officer.
List of participants:
AND David Eudal KOS Ard Islami
AND Paco Vazquez LAT Kaspars Cipruss
AUT Nina Suritsch LAT Anete Jekabsone-Zogota
AUT Fabricio Vay LTU Povilas Butkevicius
BEL Guy Muya LTU Gintaras Leonavicius
BEL Ann Wauters LUX Nadia Mossong
BUL Gergana Branzova Erdenay MDA Eugeniu Pogorelov
BUL Vassil Evtimov MDA Eugeniu Postolache
BUL Daniela Peteva MNE Jelena Dubljevic
BUL Filip Aleksandrov Videnov NED Naomi Halman
CRO Iva Brkic (nee Ciglar) NED Hein Gerd Triemstra
CRO Ana Lelas POL Katarzyna Dydek
CRO Sandro Nicevic POL Michal Ignerski
CRO Rok Stipcevic POR Elvis Evora
CYP Aristides Koronides POR Nuno Perdigao
CZE Pavel Pumprla POR Sofia Ramalho
CZE Michaela Uhrova ROU Gabriela Marginean
CZE Jiri Welsch ROU Vlad Moldoveanu
ENG Julie Page ROU Florina Pascalau
ENG Andrew Sullivan RUS Nikita Morgunov
EST Mailis Pokk RUS Maria Stepanova
EST Janar Soo SCO Kieron Achara
FIN Ville Kaunisto SRB Natasa Kovacevic
FIN Tiina Sten SRB Jovana Vukoje
FRA Eduouard Choquet SLO Maja Erkic
FRA Makan Dioumassi SLO Bostjan Nachbar
FRA Ilian Evtimov ESP Jaume Comas
FRA Isabelle Yacoubou ESP Cindy Lima
GBR Rachael Vanderwal SVK Romana Vynuchalova
GRE Katerina Sotiriou SWE Anna Barthold
HUN Simon Balazs SWE Kenneth Grant
HUN Gabor Denes SWE Andrew Pleick
HUN Katalin Honti SUI Nicolas Dos Santos
IRL Meagen Hoffman SUI Karen Twehues
IRL Colin O'Reilly TUR Yasemin Horasan
ISR Liron Cohen TUR Kerem Tunceri
ISR Meir Tapiro TUR Nevriye Yilmaz
ITA Robert Fultz UKR Stanislav Medvedenko
ITA Raffaella Masciadri WAL Stefanie Collins
KOS Elvira Dushku WAL James Dawe