NBA LOCKOUT - Gortat a no-show for Poland because of insurance jam

WARSAW (Eurobasket 2011) - Many of the national teams getting ready to take aim at automatic Olympic berths have their NBA stars in training.

Spain, France, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, Israel, Italy, Georgia, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Iran and China are among those with NBA players getting ready for battle.

Germany will also be welcoming NBA Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks and Chris Kaman of the Los Angeles Clippers to the fold in just over a week.

It's going to be an incredibly exciting summer of basketball.

But the NBA lockout has meant that some national sides will be without key men this summer, including Poland and Great Britain.

While the Brits have Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls ready to take the floor at the EuroBasket in Lithuania, they will not have Detroit Pistons guard Ben Gordon because of complications regarding his insurance.

Poland have just announced that their only NBA player, Marcin Gortat of the Phoenix Suns, will not feature this summer because of the failure to acquire an insurance policy he requires to take part.

Most of the burden of obtaining insurance for NBA players fell on the basketball federations when the NBA lockout began and league operations were shut down.

In a statement on the Polish Basketball Federation's website, Polish Basketball Federation president Grzegorz Bachanski said: "Marcin really wanted to play but the situation that occurred this year, I of course mean the lockout, meant that this is not possible.

"Of course it is sad for us, but I am trying to think more broadly in the next few years.

"And Marcin Gortat in the future we will be needed."

Gortat was the face of EuroBasket 2009 when the tournament was staged in Poland.

He competed in his hometown of Lodz and his likeness was everywhere, on posters, billboards and television commercials.

Gortat is bitterly disappointed.

"I want and I'm always ready to play in the Polish national team," Gortat said.

"The (federation) president Grzegorz Bachanski has prepared a project for many years.

"Personally, I declare full support for the Polish Basketball Association and our staff in the coming years.

"This year we have a really great group of players and a nice coach.

"I deeply regret that I cannot play with them, but it would be too great a risk.

"I hope everybody understands.

"I'll keep my fingers crossed for them at the EuroBasket.

"I believe they will do everything to achieve a good result."

While Gortat has been the main man for Poland the past two summers, the London-born, United States-raised Gordon has never played for Britain.

According to British Basketball, Gordon ruled himself out of the EuroBasket.

"We are obviously very disappointed that Ben is not able to join us this year but we fully understand and respect his decision," said Chris Spice, the performance director for British Basketball.

"This is a difficult and complex insurance issue caused primarily by the NBA lockout.

"We have done our best to provide a cover that is close to what we would have in a normal season but in the end things didn't work out from a financial or scope of cover perspective."

Spice added that Gordon could still feature for Britain when they host the Olympics next summer.

"It will be doubly important that next year we have everything in place for Ben to join us on day one of the program as every day he is with us will be key to performing at our peak for London 2012," Spice said.

FIBA