Iziane in Brazil and Her Words About Extrugasa

An article in UOL Esporte in Brazil reports about Iziane Castro Marques and her final days with Extrugasa.

If you don't remember the story, here it is: Extrugasa, a Spanish league club that got rid of several players, including Tamera Young, went into a tailspin and ended up firing their coach. Sinking to the bottom of the Liga Femenina, there was danger that Extrugasa would be "relegated" to a lower division the following year if their record was sufficiently awful.

In a last ditch effort to stop this from happening, Extrugasa signed Izi out of Villeneuve d'Ascq in France to come over and "put out the fire". Not even Iziane could save Extrugasa - they finished last in the league.

During the last game, members of the Extrugasa Board of Directors came into the locker room. The club still owed some of its players money that was due in September. However, the Board stated that since the club's performance was so poor, the club wanted some of that salary back.

Iziane's quote? "I have not been fined. I did nothing wrong and ran to my work within the set." Iziane further states that clauses like that have existed in club contracts for overseas leagues...but this was the first time that she had ever heard of someone trying to actually activate the clause.

"They were looking for alternatives to get the payments," said Castro Marques. "I think it was a way to intimidate the players and have a financial arrangement with them." My guess is that Extrugasa was only threatening to use the clause in hopes of intimidating the players to part with some of their deserved money. I'm further guessing that Iziane didn't part with as much as a Real.

My impression is that Iziane is somewhere in Brazil, far from the media, resting quietly until training camp starts. I guess she won't be seen at any of Chamique Holdsclaw's pick-up games in Atlanta.

(Thanks to Bert from the Painel do Basquete Feminino for first reporting on this news.)