Powerful Women's Basketball Patron Shabtai Kalmanovich Killed

I suppose in Russia, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Shabtai Kalmanovich, the owner of Russian Superleague team Spartak Moscow which has been the home of some of the biggest players in the WNBA in the off-season, might have been assassinated.

From the bad translation:

The investigation is considering the possibility that Kalmanovich killed in connection with his activities as president of basketball club.

What this means for Spartak Moscow and its staff - Janel McCarville (who landed in Spartak when CSKA folded), Sylvia Fowles, Diana Taurasi, and Coach Pokey Chatman - is not know. More news as we know it.

This article was written less than a year ago: it gives you an idea of just how powerful Shabtai Kalmanovich was, and why people might have wanted him dead.

Update: Sport.Ru confirms the death.

From Janel McCarville on Twitter:

@JanelMcCarville the world is one fucked up place, i cannot believe how low people will sink. the world lost someone great today.. it still hasnt sunk in!!!