European giant Virtus Bologna given new life in Italian league

BOLOGNA, Italy (Ticker) - European basketball giant Virtus Bologna was given new life by the Italian justice system Tuesday after its exclusion by the governing body of basketball was overturned by a judge.

The team was kicked out of Italy's top league last week by the country's basketball federation (FIP) after failing to meet a payment deadline on money owed to former player Sani Becirovic, a draft pick of the NBA's Denver Nuggets.

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Becirovic, a Slovenian international who was taken 46th overall, had two knee surgeries last year and didn't make a single appearance for Virtus. His unavailability, the club argued, was why it did not have to pay him.

The 22-year-old guard asked the FIP to intervene on his behalf, and the organization ruled against the club, throwing Virtus out of the league.

The decision created a crisis in the Italian game, since Bologna is among the most famous sporting institutions in the country.

Virtus appealed to the Regional Administration Tribunal (TAR), which overturned the decision. The FIP will be given a chance to outline its argument at a TAR committee meeting on August 28.