In the afternoon, the club called a press conference after the dates for moving the series to Chiusi were communicated. At the speakers’ table, President Nicosanti, GM Pasquali, coach Antimo Martino and Andrea Borini, member of the Forlì 2.015 Pallacanestro Foundation.
Giancarlo Nicosanti: “It is not easy to talk about basketball arriving at the arena and crossing areas of the city that are still under water, or seeing streets full of rubble, furniture and everything people had at home, and our thoughts now must go especially to those in difficulty. Complex as it is, we also deal with basketball and we think that what happened, in a tragic moment for our city and all of Romagna, perhaps deserved greater sensitivity on the part of the competent bodies, above all out of respect for our fans, the our Company, the players, the technical staff and all those who have worked this season to build an extraordinary path. The rules are clear: having won the league and the second stage was exciting, and led us to have the advantage of playing the first two games at home; removing this advantage, it seems to us a gesture of insensitivity on the part of the Federation, which has decided this. We accept what has been decided, but we are not happy: we don’t want to feel sorry for ourselves, or make too much controversy because in the end it is of little use, but I think we need to clarify. First of all I want to publicly thank Chiusi because right from the start she has shown solidarity with us, then I would like to take stock of the situation: the Basketball Federation, which corrects the dates of the championship, has asked the companies involved (those of the Oro”) an opinion on our proposal to move Game-2 to the end of next week and thus allow us to play at home: I thank Udine, Cividale and Fortitudo who accepted our proposal, while other clubs did not accept it, Agrigento , Cremona and Cento. I am sorry that they have not understood the drama that is being experienced in Romagna, which perhaps is not perceived from the outside.
I would add that, as the Basketball Foundation and with the involvement of all the Members, we have decided to donate the total proceeds from the next home game to charity and I inform you that the team and staff are doing an internal fundraising that will be donated to support people and businesses in difficulty. In addition to words there are facts, and I think that gestures of this type can be the most concrete message to the city and all of Romagna.
Renato Pasquali: “I think that today it is important to combine cohesion and a sense of belonging: the City has always been close to us, it has helped us to achieve the objectives achieved this year and we feel close to those in difficulty. Precisely for this reason, we will try to do everything we can, with deeds, to reciprocate the support and affection we receive every time we take the field. They were days of constant negotiations and, according to the first hypotheses, we even had to play yesterday evening (Friday): somehow talking and negotiating helped us move to Monday, which however is not what we wanted in order not to lose the acquired right to play “Game-2” at home. Bearing in mind that there are quite different problems today, I’m sure the team will be cohesive and will take the field giving their all.
Antimo Martino: “On behalf of the staff and the boys, I want to send a virtual hug to the whole city and all of Romagna, because in the face of a situation like this there is no parochialism or rivalry. Fortunately, the flooding did not seriously affect players and staff, even if some of us were isolated and without electricity for a few days. The pace of training has slipped, but today my goal is to bring the focus back to this playoff series: this team has already experienced difficult and unforeseen moments during the season, but has always found energy and human values to cling to. and I’m sure it will again this time. Indeed, even more so, I think that all of this is an assist to be even more decisive, and we will do everything to win this series and try to give our fans a little joy in a difficult moment”.
Andrea Borini, member of the Forlì Basketball Foundation: “We are sure that the people who make up our team have important values and they have demonstrated it: we will be stronger than the lack of sensitivity we expected and we want to silence any controversy or misunderstanding. We hope as soon as possible that the spirit of the fans will be able to give us a concrete boost again, and the decision to have thought of donating the proceeds from the next home match to charity is a way of being close to our fellow citizens in difficulty, but also to allow those who come to the game not to feel the hypothetical discomfort of being there to watch basketball despite the situation”.
2023-05-20 19:28:13
#Basketball #Forlì #expected #sensitivity #happy
