Israeli clubs withdraw from FIBA Europe Cup / News - Basketnews.com

Israeli clubs - Bnei Ofek Dist Herzliya, Ironi Ness Ziona, and Hapoel Galil Elion officially announced that they withdraw from the FIBA Europe Cup due to difficult conditions set by FIBA.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Three Israeli teams – Bnei Ofek Dist Herzliya, Ironi Ness Ziona, and Hapoel Galil Elion in a joint statement announced that are withdrawing from the FIBA Europe Cup.

Due to an ongoing war with Hamas in Israel shaking things up in international basketball, all three Israeli teams were allowed to play home games in Cyprus.

However, Bnei Herzliya, Hapoel, and Ironi believe that the conditions set by FIBA were impossible to fulfill.

One of them was to play three group games between November 6-17 by organizing one match per week at most, which is theoretically impossible.

On top of that, the Israeli teams were not allowed to stay in Cyprus for longer periods, as the requirement was that the club must arrive 1 day before the game and leave the country the next day after the match finished.

Joint statement from Bnei Herzliya, Hapoel, and Ironi

"In recent weeks, we have made many efforts - financial and professional - so that we can continue to participate in the FIBA Europe Cup tournament this year as well.

These steps stemmed from an understanding of the importance of the Israeli teams continuing to compete and represent Israel and the meaning it could have in the future for the Israeli teams if we withdraw unilaterally.

Officials, Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made their best efforts. Unfortunately, we encountered a lack of cooperation and desire on the part of FIBA ​​to help or find a solution that would allow us to continue to compete in the tournament.

As clubs with a respectable past in FIBA ​​and Eurocup in particular, we expected, in light of this [the war], to receive a much more understanding and inclusive attitude. In times like these, basketball and sports should be a bridge of peace connecting people and cultures, and we are disappointed that we were denied the right to cross that bridge.

We apologize to our fans - to whom we hoped to give some comfort and escape from the difficult reality that was imposed on all of us in the last month - we made every effort for you as well. We are strengthening the home front and our soldiers, and hope to return and represent our fans and Israel soon."

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