Fadi El-Khatib’s Visa was refused by the Belgium embassy, possibly putting an end to Cherkasi-Mavpi’s participation in the 2008 FIBA Eurocup Games (at least for now), the top men’s basketball tournament run by FIBA Europe.

Cherkas-Mavpi, in a move of solidarity by it’s players (including former NBA player Martynas Andriuskevicius), the director, and the organization, sent a scathing letter to the Belgian Embassy accusing them of racism and refusing to participate in the tournament if the VISA is not issued by December 18th. El Khatib’s was the only VISA that was not approved. Here is the text from that letter:

“We inform that due to the refusal in issuing the visa for the player of the basketball team ‘Cherkaski Mavpy’ – El Khatib El Cheikh Fadi – was held the extra meeting of the team members, where the prejudiced actions of teh represtatives of the Belgian Embassy were wrathful condemned concerning the representatives of other races and is decided to refuse from participation in FIBA Euro Cup games in solidarity with the player El-Khatib!

The team “Chersaki Mavpy” is agitated with such shameful attitude and disrespect to the people with another skin color and belief! Nowadays, whent he messengers in the whole world try to do all possible to patch up national conflicts, you act qyute the reverse.

The team ‘Cherkaski Mavpy’
Jarutis R., Podolyako D., Lebediev A., Lokhmanchuk Y., Edwards J., Revzin P., Andriukaitis M., Chekovski G., Podkovyrov A., Kholpov V., Kozyryev V., Kotlyar I.”

Fadi El-Khatib is a Lebanese Arab and is Muslim, so many believe that the denial is based on some form of discrimination (as Cherkasy believes) while others believe that it may be political. Some say it could possibly be because Fadi’s papers were not in order but that seems unlikely since all of Mavpi’s VISAs were approved except Fadi’s, which lends more credence to the first two reasons. The Belgian embassy has not responded.

El-Khatib, the Lebanese superstar has played spectacularly in his first European season. Playing in Ukraine’s third league, he is averaging around 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals a game. Read the thread started by El-Khatib’s brother and discuss this topic in our forum.

Sources: Racism in Sports – Fadi El Khatib Cherkassy Mavpy Visa Cancelled (Interbasket Forums), Letter from Cherkasy-Mavpi (Interbasket), Fadi El-Khatib Updates! (Interbasket Forums), Fadi Al-Khatib Dominates in First Game, El-Khatib a Monkey?