Badalona denies racial slurs accusation from Paris players / News - Basketnews.com

Joventut Badalona issued a statement claiming that the club will not allow an unfounded accusation of racism to devalue its image after Paris Basketball claims about being targeted by racial slurs.

Credit: Rodolfo Molina/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Rodolfo Molina/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

Joventut Badalona reacted to the recent claims from Paris Basketball members about being targeted by racial behavior from fans.

3-pointers this season

33%8,0Points made:8,0Accuracy:33,1%Place in standings:14Record max:14Record min:1Most made 3FGs:Vladimir BrodzianskyTeamEuroCupStatisticsSchedule

"Club Joventut Badalona strongly condemns any type of intimidating, vexatious, racist, and/or xenophobic behavior and/or comments. The organization always defends the absolute with respect to rivals, referees, and fans who come to visit us at the Palau Olímpic every week.

Having said that, the club wants to express that it will not allow an unfounded accusation of racism to devalue the image of a historic Club like ours nor to call into question the integrity of our members and fans.

Being the birthplace of basketball represents a great honor, but it also entails an immense responsibility to guard values such as integration, respect, coexistence, equality, diversity, effort, teamwork, and camaraderie that we transmit to the more than 500 children and adolescents that nourish our planter," says Badalona's statement.

After a hard-fought 101-94 win, Paris Basketball players looked visibly disturbed after they heard chants of "Monkey!" from fans in Badalona.

Paris players --Michael KessensandBandja Sy-- issued complaints to the referees about the slurs leveled at them by host fans.

On November 15, Kessens andNadir Hifi, another Paris Basketball player, took to Twitter to condemn the racist behavior. Kessens called upon EuroCup to punish Badalona, stating that this was not the first time that such an incident had occurred in this same court.

Kessens was referring toan incident involving then-ratiopharm Ulm player Yago dos Santos, who was similarly subjected to racist chants in the EuroCup last year.

Following recent events in Badalona, the EuroLeague organization issued the following statement:

"Euroleague Basketball has always had a zero-tolerance policy against any acts of racism or discrimination. The public claim of Paris Basketball's player Nadir Hifi, made on his personal X social media account, has already been reported, and the matter is being investigated by the relevant bodies.

Should the available game footage contain the reported facts and the individual/s be identified, Euroleague Basketball will take every necessary action to prevent this from happening again.

The league will also request all clubs to intensify the monitoring and education efforts at their events so any such despicable behaviors are identified and prevent them from happening in Euroleague Basketball arenas.

Euroleague Basketball and all of its clubs welcome and celebrate diversity in all of its expressions, and believes in basketball as a tool to unite and instill positive values in people."

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