The Lithuanian Basketball Federation (LKF) has launched an investigation into alleged harassment and inappropriate behaviour by Rimantas Grigas, head coach of the country's national women's basketball team.
"Today, a meeting of the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission will be convened, and a person will be tasked to finalise the fact-collection protocol as we need a very clear methodology since we cannot just have a conversation. [...] It will then be forwarded to the national team's players, as we have to have information from them," LKF President Mindaugas Balčiūnas told BNS on Friday.
"I think on Monday we will have anonymous information and see how much factual information and circumstances have to be investigated in depth," he added.
The LKF launched the investigation on Thursday after the 15min.lt news website reported about Grigas' alleged inappropriate behaviour towards the players. In the article, several members of the national team and a representative of the Kibirkstis Vilnius club spoke about the coach's harassment.
Balčiūnas says there will be "no delay in investigating this situation" and a decision on what to do next will be made next week.
"Maximum speed, objectivity, clarity, transparency, publicity," the LKF president said, adding that the federation is in constant contact with the players and the team representatives.
"We have been in constant contact for four years now. Such information comes out for the first time, and we take it very seriously," Balčiūnas told BNS.
He has also spoken with Grigas who denies any wrongdoing.
"The man is going through a lot because of this, considering his biography and the absence of a single similar fact," Balčiūnas said.
According to the federation, by FIBA practice, a questionnaire will be drawn up and sent to all the players who participated in the last round of the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers. They will fill in the questionnaire completely anonymously, and Grigas will also be given the right to respond.
Domarkas will then forward all the collected information to the Disciplinary, Ethics and Appeals Commission and the latter will make a decision. The commission will be guided by the rules on the prevention of sexual harassment in sports, adopted by the LKF Executive Committee, and the LCF Code of Ethics and Discipline.
Grigas has been in charge of the women's national team since 2021. Last week, the Lithuanian team qualified for the first time since 2015 for the European Championships taking place this summer.
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