Karami: Politics, Sectarianism Destroyed Lebanese Basketball
Caretaker Youth and Sports Minister Faisal Karami lamented on Friday the “death” of Lebanese basketball after the world governing body for basketball, FIBA, is likely to suspend the Lebanese union's membership, which will lead to the exclusion of the national team from international tournaments.
He said: “Politics and sectarianism ruined Lebanon's basketball.”
He explained that FIBA had issued a warning to Lebanon to clarify a number of violations otherwise it would face suspension.
The violations included political meddling in matches and legal disputes between local teams and the union, which is a violation of the regulations of the international union, Karami stated.
Lebanon's failure to comply with the warning will prompt FIBA to suspend its membership, he added.
It is set to make an announcement shortly.
“The Youth and Sports Ministry tried hard to avert this development, but none of the officials, whether in the union or among politicians, responded to them,” Karami continued.
“It turned out that petty interests held sway over general ones,” he lamented.
“Basketball in Lebanon has become the victim of the general atmosphere in the country where politics have ruined everything and sectarianism has ruined everything,” he said.
“Sports, cultural, artistic, and economic events have not been spared,” noted the minister.
“I will no longer issue calls to any side to assist Lebanese basketball because they are no longer useful,” Karami stressed.
FIBA had given Lebanon to Friday for it to comply with demands that it resolve its internal problems, including disputes within the union that led to the suspension of the local league.
The suspension of Lebanon's membership will prevent the national team from taking part in the Asian Championship set to take place in the Philippines in August.
The Lebanese national team, which had been taking part in the 35th William Jones Cup International Basketball Tournament held in Taiwan, will now be forced to withdraw.
It will be replaced by Iraq.
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