Basketball: CSKA Berlin Medals 'Insult WWII Veterans'

Russian basketball side CSKA Moscow is accused of insulting World War II veterans by handing out medals to fans invoking "the capture of Berlin."

The team presented the medals this week to supporters who had traveled to Berlin in May for the Euroleague's Final Four, which the Red Army club won for the first time since 2008.

The medal is a replica of the decoration awarded to Red Army soldiers, who captured the German capital in May 1945, provoking anger from some fans and officials.

Russian parliament's deputy speaker Igor Lebedev called the award "an insult to the veterans" in an interview with www.championat.com website.

Fans writing on CSKA's Facebook page accused club chiefs of belittling the sacrifice of Soviet soldiers in the World War II.

"They spat at the war veterans", Roman wrote, while Sergei stated: "I'm glad my granddad isn't alive to see this".

CSKA, Russia's flagship basketball outfit, beat Turkish side Fenerbahce 101-96 after extra time in the Euroleague final to add their seventh European crown to their trophy cabinet.

The move followed last year's tour to the Final Four event in Spain when the club supporters received medals "For the Capture of Madrid".

CSKA president Andrei Vatutin insisted the medals were in no way intended to trivialize wartime heroes, telling TASS agency: "It's a pity that our move has been misunderstood."

"CSKA have always stressed their tight links with the Soviet and Russian army," he said.

"We're unconditionally proud of the victory in World War II and revere the memory of those, who have fallen for our Motherland."

Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko defended Vatutin, telling TASS: "I don't think there was any kind of a political content" to the medal.