Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) requested an official investigation into the abusive chants towards Ergin Ataman in the EuroLeague. The federation described the actions of the fans of Israeli representative Maccabi Rapyd as “contrary to the universal values of sport”.
In its call to the Europa League management, TBF emphasized that it expects disciplinary processes to be carried out urgently and similar incidents to not be repeated.
TBF’DEN SERT KINAMA
In the statement published on its website, the Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) reacted to the events in the Maccabi Rapyd-Panathinaikos match played in Israel in the 24th week of the EuroLeague. In the statement, it was emphasized that the abusive chants of the home team fans towards Ergin Ataman were regretfully condemned and that this situation was contrary to the unifying spirit of sports.
The Federation drew attention to the international achievements of Turkish sports people and stated that they are always with the coaches and managers. The statement stated, “It is never acceptable that our values, which represent our country in the international arena, are subjected to attacks contrary to the spirit and ethical rules of sports,” and stated determination to protect national values.
In the last part of the statement, TBF made a direct call to the EuroLeague management. Pointing out that the peaceful nature of sports should be protected, the federation demanded that the incident be examined meticulously and the relevant disciplinary processes be initiated immediately. Additionally, the expectation to take necessary precautions to prevent similar incidents from recurring was emphasized.
