Lebanon Suspended from FIBA Asia Championship in Manila

Middle Eastern basketball powerhouse team, Lebanon was suspended by FIBA in the upcoming FIBA Asia Championship after the basketball body decided to suspend the country’s basketball federation after failing to meet requirements set by FIBA.

According to a news report from The Daily Star Lebanon, FIBA suspended the country after they failed to take steps about a number of violations, which include political meddling in matches as well as legal disputes between teams and players.

Lebanon FIBA Asia

The problem was also confirmed by Lebanon’s acting Youth and Sports Minister Faisal Karami when he was interviewed by Naharhet, he was quoted as saying that, “Politics and sectarianism ruined Lebanon’s basketball,” he stated.

In the upcoming FIBA Asia championship in Manila this coming August 2013, Lebanon was bracketed in Group B with Hong Kong, Japan, and Qatar. The team’s suspension will forced them to be disqualified from the tournament. FIBA announced that Lebanon will be replaced by Iraq in the 27th FIBA Asia Championship.

The members of the Lebanese Men’s Basketball team is currently competing in Taiwan in the William Jones Cup expressed their anger with the recent development as announced by FIBA.

Lebanon is considered as one of the toughest contender to make it to the semi-finals of the tournament, the Philippines is aware that if they p(–foul word(s) removed–)ed the first round of the competition they will surely meet with Lebanon in the cross-over semi-finals.

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