FIBA Suspends Lebanon's Basketball Membership
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The basketball world governing body, FIBA, announced on Thursday the suspension of Lebanon's membership.
The suspension means that the country's national basketball team will be barred from taking part in international tournaments.
This includes the upcoming 27th Asian Championship set to take place in the Philippines from August 1-11.
Contrary to reports, LBCI television said that the duration of the suspension was not revealed.
Media reports had stated on Thursday that the suspension will last four years.
The national team is expected to make a press conference on Saturday in order to address the decision.
FIBA was seeking to suspend Lebanon's membership over disputes within the Lebanese Basketball Union that saw the judiciary meddle in the sports affairs.
The basketball crisis in Lebanon began with disputes over elections within the union.
The dispute took place between the Free Patriotic Movement, which backs the Champville basketball team, and an alliance of President Michel Suleiman, who backs the Amchit team, the Mustaqbal Movement, and caretaker Minister Mohammed al-Safadi.
A dispute emerged during a league game between Champville and Amchit, which prompted judicial interference, which sided with the latter team, said LBCI.
The union, which was dominated by FPM officials after the elections, considered the judicial interference as being politicized, which resulted in the suspension of the league.
The union then requested that FIBA intervene to resolve the crisis.
It demanded that the disputed sides end their problems by signing an understanding, which they failed to do.
18 July 2013, 15:02
04
It is not funny anymore. Ya meskin ya balad. 7atta el basketball estaktarou 3alayna.
18 July 2013, 17:32
01
Because it's lebanon... get rid of sectarianism or watch the nation fall.
18 July 2013, 17:38
12
In sports this is the equivalent of corruption leading to civil war, and as we saw both sides lost (no winners in corruption and war).
18 July 2013, 19:47
00
Another out-of-this-world prediction by the... well... umm... duh... full of bull Dr. Areta Satleh, NostraGabbyMarch14 himself! You go, gabbaguybo. Keep dem predictions flowing.
18 July 2013, 21:08
00
Thank you Sleyman and Mustaqbal for ruinning Lebanon - I am a player and we all know very well the reasons. Shame on you both and although I am not a FPMer, FPM has nothing to do with that.
18 July 2013, 23:38
10
endless; I may be from MARS but now live on EARTH my allegiance is now to EARTH not MARS. Earth saved me, gave me a chance to build a successful life, gave me opportunities, allowed me to be all that I can be, but that does not mean I do not still have some feelings for MARS despite the fact it's no longer anything but a piece of dry rock.
The Lebanese basketball has always been something I was proud of and always saw it as a glimpse of hope that a rose can grow out of turd. Now the turd buried that rose.
18 July 2013, 22:05
00
Doesn't this mean that the lebanese can't qualify for either the World Basketball Cup and the Olympics? What's gonna happen to the Lebanese team now?
19 July 2013, 08:16
01
No doubt the FEDERATION messed up even if the clubs made mistakes too. Why the hell would the FEDERATION go to FIBA? Mr. Robert Ab Abdullah felt useless and wanted to save face so he went to FIBA fully knowing the consequence would be suspending Lebanon. What a selfish move by Ab Abdullah and his stooges.
19 July 2013, 13:28
00
This is a consequence of the overly politicized and polarized country we live in. Elections are held at every level and it is either M8 or M14 everywhere. Every university, syndicate, and organization does this--until these guys stop playing the game, there will be more problems down the road due to corruption and cronyism.
The basketball team was something ALL lebanese could look up to--now the dirty politicians have brought it down to their level. :/
