By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Scottie Wilbekin expressed his concerns about self-isolating upon his return to Israel with a series of tweets. The Maccabi Tel Aviv player criticized the guidelines issued, stating that “if it’s safe enough for us to play, then it’s safe enough for me to go the park” while calling the Winner League to “decide” on how self-isolation rules should apply.
According to the public health guidelines, players who have returned to Israel from their home countries to get back into practice with their teams are first advised to remain in quarantine.
The Israeli League, which plans to resume its activities in June, later addressed the issue in public, with the following statement by the League Manager:
“To our delight and the public’s delight in Israel, the government has approved an outline for the return to the basketball league under guidelines. Preceded by the decision is accelerated activity and dialogue of the league manager with the health and sports ministries. Going beyond the isolation guidelines as well as other guidelines constitutes a criminal offense. Over the past two days, we have been delighted to see the players returning to the country and are happy to come back and play basketball.
We are very sorry for the irresponsible comments of the Maccabi Tel Aviv player and would like to emphasize the status of the basketball players as role models for teens and others.
The league manager holds teams responsible to safeguard the law and will not hesitate to take harsh punitive measures against a team or player that has disregarded the law and sabotaged the ability to return to normality during this sensitive period.”