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Things have been really bad and pessimistic regarding Lebanese basketball these last couple of months especially due to dirty politics interfering in the number one and most loved sport of the country.
Right now only confirmed event is the Hariri tournament which will take place next month (November 14th). Hope a solution will be reached soon!
Courtesy of our good friend Dany Abboud
Right now only confirmed event is the Hariri tournament which will take place next month (November 14th). Hope a solution will be reached soon!
Courtesy of our good friend Dany Abboud
Upcoming edition of Hariri Tournament fuels hope for new season
BEIRUT: Lebanese basketball players will get their first taste of competitive action in months when the 23rd edition of the Hussam al-Din Hariri tournament starts Nov. 14 in Sidon, after the league was halted prematurely last season, which resulted in an international ban from FIBA.
The tournament has been active since 1990 with the participation of several Arab clubs, however the international prohibition has left organizers with limited options, head of the organizing committee Nizar Rouwes told The Daily Star.
“The unfortunate ban implemented [by FIBA] has left us with few options, but honestly we were more determined than ever to hold the tournament, as we hope to make inroads into solving the local crisis,” he said.
The tournament is the only scheduled event thus far for the 2013-2014 season, as the start of the domestic championship remains unknown pending the approval of the amendments during November’s election of a new governing body.
Therefore, the Hariri Tournament comes at an ideal time as Lebanese basketball tries to make its way back from the nightmare that began with suspension of the strongest season ever following a judicial and political fallout and ended with the disappointment suffered by the national team, who were denied the opportunity to qualify for their fourth successive World Championship by the FIBA.
Only Lebanese teams will take part in the tune-up event as the organizing committee has invited all the 12 clubs of the top league. Several teams have confirmed their participation, including Riyadi, Amchit, Byblos, Tadamon Zouk and Antranik. Heavyweights Sagesse and Champville have already confirmed their withdrawal from the competition, with both teams experiencing internal problems at administrative and financial levels. Homenetmen will also skip next month’s action.
“The tournament will be just as exciting as previous editions simply because the Lebanese teams are strong and competitive. We hope for the biggest possible participation, so that the tournament can be a message of sportsmanship and harmony in these tough circumstances,” Rouwes said.
Teams have started their preparation for the tournament at a rapid pace, with Riyadi, Amchit and Tadamon training on a daily basis for about two weeks with complete squads. Riyadi, under Slovenian head coach Slobodan Subotic, welcomed back Friday their American giant Loren Woods, who will join an improved squad boasting new arrivals in veteran center Roy Samaha and rising talent Ali Haidar. The new players will add to a roster of core players, including Egyptian Ismael Ahmad, Ali Mahmoud, Jean Abdel-Nour, Omar Turk, Amir Saoud, Ahmad Ibrahim, Miguel Martinez and Wael Arakji.
Elsewhere, Amchit will have two friendly games against Iraqi side Al-Naft in their preparation for the Hariri Tournament. The Lebanese team made waves during the summer transfer period after they lured Champville’s head coach Ghassan Sarkis along with Lebanon star Fadi al-Khatib, Joey Accaoui, Karl Sarkis, William Pharis, Nadim Hawi, Ali Fakhreddine, and American duo CJ Giles and Kennedy Winston.
Newly promoted Tadamon are leaving to Turkey between Nov. 1-10 to undergo a training camp. The team managed by young coach Marwan Khalil have been very active in the transfer period after signing several talented players such as Nadim Souaid, Bashir and Tarek Ammoury, Hassan Dandash, Imad Saade, Jad Bitar, and Mohammad Hamdar, as well as American duo Jarrid Famous and Steven Gray.
Byblos are expected to begin their preparations within a week after the arrival of Serbian coach Nenad Vucinic early this week to the country, as well as the arrival of all their players from abroad. Byblos have added Mohammad Ibrahim and Ali Kanaan, to join the likes of Mazen Mneimneh, Ali Barada, Tom Ammar, and last season’s exciting American pair Jay Youngblood and Mike Fraser.
BEIRUT: Lebanese basketball players will get their first taste of competitive action in months when the 23rd edition of the Hussam al-Din Hariri tournament starts Nov. 14 in Sidon, after the league was halted prematurely last season, which resulted in an international ban from FIBA.
The tournament has been active since 1990 with the participation of several Arab clubs, however the international prohibition has left organizers with limited options, head of the organizing committee Nizar Rouwes told The Daily Star.
“The unfortunate ban implemented [by FIBA] has left us with few options, but honestly we were more determined than ever to hold the tournament, as we hope to make inroads into solving the local crisis,” he said.
The tournament is the only scheduled event thus far for the 2013-2014 season, as the start of the domestic championship remains unknown pending the approval of the amendments during November’s election of a new governing body.
Therefore, the Hariri Tournament comes at an ideal time as Lebanese basketball tries to make its way back from the nightmare that began with suspension of the strongest season ever following a judicial and political fallout and ended with the disappointment suffered by the national team, who were denied the opportunity to qualify for their fourth successive World Championship by the FIBA.
Only Lebanese teams will take part in the tune-up event as the organizing committee has invited all the 12 clubs of the top league. Several teams have confirmed their participation, including Riyadi, Amchit, Byblos, Tadamon Zouk and Antranik. Heavyweights Sagesse and Champville have already confirmed their withdrawal from the competition, with both teams experiencing internal problems at administrative and financial levels. Homenetmen will also skip next month’s action.
“The tournament will be just as exciting as previous editions simply because the Lebanese teams are strong and competitive. We hope for the biggest possible participation, so that the tournament can be a message of sportsmanship and harmony in these tough circumstances,” Rouwes said.
Teams have started their preparation for the tournament at a rapid pace, with Riyadi, Amchit and Tadamon training on a daily basis for about two weeks with complete squads. Riyadi, under Slovenian head coach Slobodan Subotic, welcomed back Friday their American giant Loren Woods, who will join an improved squad boasting new arrivals in veteran center Roy Samaha and rising talent Ali Haidar. The new players will add to a roster of core players, including Egyptian Ismael Ahmad, Ali Mahmoud, Jean Abdel-Nour, Omar Turk, Amir Saoud, Ahmad Ibrahim, Miguel Martinez and Wael Arakji.
Elsewhere, Amchit will have two friendly games against Iraqi side Al-Naft in their preparation for the Hariri Tournament. The Lebanese team made waves during the summer transfer period after they lured Champville’s head coach Ghassan Sarkis along with Lebanon star Fadi al-Khatib, Joey Accaoui, Karl Sarkis, William Pharis, Nadim Hawi, Ali Fakhreddine, and American duo CJ Giles and Kennedy Winston.
Newly promoted Tadamon are leaving to Turkey between Nov. 1-10 to undergo a training camp. The team managed by young coach Marwan Khalil have been very active in the transfer period after signing several talented players such as Nadim Souaid, Bashir and Tarek Ammoury, Hassan Dandash, Imad Saade, Jad Bitar, and Mohammad Hamdar, as well as American duo Jarrid Famous and Steven Gray.
Byblos are expected to begin their preparations within a week after the arrival of Serbian coach Nenad Vucinic early this week to the country, as well as the arrival of all their players from abroad. Byblos have added Mohammad Ibrahim and Ali Kanaan, to join the likes of Mazen Mneimneh, Ali Barada, Tom Ammar, and last season’s exciting American pair Jay Youngblood and Mike Fraser.
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