By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In the aftermath of their big overtime road win in Spain, Paris Basketball with an official press release protests about racial slurs directed at their players during the game against Joventut Badalona by Spanish fans.
Per the press release: “Late last night, after our match in Badalona, it was brought to the club’s attention that several of our players were subjected to racist insults from more than one spectator during the match.
This is – of course – unacceptable. This is hate speech.
Paris Basketball will work with the management of the EuroCup and the Joventut Badalone club to determine the next steps relating to these facts to prevent this type of behavior from happening again.
DAVID KAHN, PRESIDENT OF PARIS BASKETBALL:
“On behalf of Paris Basketball, we are all saddened and shocked to have heard these comments which directly affected our players. We support our players and their efforts to bring this matter to the attention of the basketball world. These types of hateful comments must stop.”
EuroLeague is already monitoring the situation and issued the following announcement: Euroleague Basketball has always had a zero-tolerance policy against any acts of racism or discrimination. The public claim of Paris Basketball’s player Nadir Hifi, made on his personal X social media account, has already been reported and the matter is being investigated by the relevant bodies.
Should the available game footage contain the reported facts and the individual/s be identified, Euroleague Basketball will take every necessary action to prevent this from happening again.
The league will also request all clubs to intensify the monitoring and education efforts at their events so any such despicable behaviors are identified and prevent them from happening in Euroleague Basketball arenas.
Euroleague Basketball and all of its clubs welcome and celebrate diversity in all of its expressions, and believes in basketball as a tool to unite and instill positive values in people.