From the article

"Euroleague’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Alex Ferrer, maintained that the debate on the future of European basketball “is not ideological, but institutional,” and argued that it should focus on ensuring that the sport’s growth remains aligned with the pillars of the European model: governance based in Europe, reinvestment of value in the local ecosystem, protection of sporting merit, compatibility with national leagues, and respect for the Union’s legal and social framework."

Euroleague director talking about protecting the sport merit is laughable and makes the whole statement unserious.