Polish club linked to Lithuanian tycoons denied Adriatic League entry

The ambitious LKS club in Lodz, Poland, explored an unconventional path to elevate its status by applying to join the Adriatic League (ABA). The club, where Tomas Pačėsas serves as sports director and Lithuanian businessman Gediminas Žiemelis is linked, was seeking to bypass the Polish league system for faster growth.

Maciej Olszynskis, the club's main sponsor and vice-president, admitted the Adriatic League idea was "a bit crazy" and an attempt to "circumvent the system." However, the league's management rejected the proposal, keeping LKS within the Polish basketball framework.

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I will admit that the Adriatic League was a bit of a crazy idea. We tried to circumvent the system a bit and play at a higher level.

The club's primary goal remains promotion to the top Polish league. Pačėsas, who joined LKS to help build a professional structure, highlighted the long-term vision for the club. His involvement, along with potential future investment from Žiemelis, is expected to boost the club's budget significantly, potentially increasing it by 10 to 25 percent to around 1-1.15 million euros next season.

While there is no official agreement or investment from Žiemelis yet, Polish media reports suggest his interest in a larger basketball project in the country. Pačėsas noted Žiemelis's past contributions to basketball, referencing his involvement with the now-defunct Vilnius "Wolves" project.

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Our club is an association and cannot simply be bought, but Mr. Žiemelis is interested in a larger basketball project in our country.