OREANDA-NEWS. August 03, 2009. Lithuanian men’s basketball team, which is now getting ready for the European Championship, visited AB Mazeikiu Nafta for the first time, reported the press-centre of Mazeikiu Nafta.

The basketball players had a meeting with the Company’s managers; short contest-events between basketball players from the Lithuanian national team and those from the Company’s basketball team were held next to the administration building. Quite a number of AB Mazeikiu Nafta employees came to watch the non-common show. A cheerful press conference followed; during the conference, employees had the possibility to give both serious and snappy questions.

Rimas Kurtinaitis, the coach of the Lithuanian national team, had to answer a question about how women help the basketball players get ready for matches. He said that, when getting ready, women are necessary because they can do laundry, get them to sleep and that “a stranger-woman would not allow sleeping”.

Marek, Mroczkowski, General Director of Mazeikiu Nafta, revealed the Company’s intentions to sponsor the Lithuanian Basketball Federation for the period of three years – by the time the European Men’s Basketball Championship is held in Lithuania. He also said that he hoped for the cooperation to enable the national team to strive for the very highest victories.

The basketball players’ visit to the Company is the Lithuanian Basketball Federation’s thank-you for support to Lithuanian basketball. AB Mazeikiu Nafta has been sponsoring basketball for a number of years already. The largest recipients include the country’s basketball clubs and the Lithuanian Basketball Federation.

During the four recent years only, the Company’s sponsorship to basketball amounted to over 13 million Litas. On 19 May 2009, AB Mazeikiu Nafta and Lithuanian Basketball Federation signed a cooperation agreement under which the Company undertook being a general sponsor of the Federation. The Federation will distribute the funds received from sponsors for the needs of men’s, women’s, and junior teams.

Residents of Mazeikiai town were also provided the possibility to see the basketball players’ skills. The event, which was organized jointly with Mazeikiai Regional Municipality, took place at ORLEN Lietuva filling station.