From September 1, four European countries (Germany, Georgia, the Czech Republic, Italy) will host the main basketball tournament of the Old World – EuroBasket 2022. Back in May, it became known that the Russian team, which had obtained a ticket on a sports basis, would be removed from the tournament for political reasons.

Nevertheless, the organizers still could not avoid a loud scandal. Opponents attacked the Turkish basketball player right in the locker room.

The Turks do not intend to endure such hospitality and threaten to withdraw from the tournament.

“It goes against the spirit of the sport”

In the match of the 3rd round of EuroBasket, the Georgian team made a sensation – with a score of 88:83, Jvarosnebi beat the Turkish team, which was stronger on paper. However, the sporting success of the Georgian team was overshadowed by the outrageous behavior of its own players. In the fourth quarter, Georgians Duda Sanadze and Turks Furkan Korkmaz got into a fight, for which both earned removal from the site. The game was held in Tbilisi and local hot fans reacted sharply to the decision of the judges – they began to buzz and throw various objects at the site, which is why the match was suspended for about 10 minutes.

However, after the game it became known that the matter was not limited to a skirmish between the players on the floor. The assistant coach of the Turkish national team Hakan Demir said that three players of the Georgian national team attacked the removed Korkmaz in the room under the stands, among which was the removed Sanadze. The coach also said that they helped the Georgian basketball players to attack his ward … Tbilisi policemen, who were called upon to maintain order at the match.

“It goes against the spirit of the sport. We expected a more gentlemanly attitude, but unfortunately this did not happen. We came here to play basketball, not fight. We are very concerned about the weak security system that we have witnessed today. We will follow the issue as well,” Demir said.

Photo: © Nikola Krstic / MB Media / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

In addition, the leaders of the Turkish team demanded that the EuroBasket organizers provide minute-by-minute recordings from CCTV cameras in the sub-tribune, threatening to withdraw from the tournament in case of refusal. Turkey also filed an official protest against the outcome of the match. According to representatives of the Turkish national team, when Sanadze was fouled and a brawl began, 4:48 remained until the end of the regular time of the meeting, but after the resumption of the game, the counter already showed 4:26.

Possible consequences

There is no doubt that the Georgian national team will face the most severe penalties in case of confirmation of information about the unsportsmanlike behavior of its players. The most severe punishment possible is a disqualification of the team and a large fine, however, with a high degree of probability, only the players who caused a brawl will be punished.

Turkey, in turn, can take advantage of all the nuances of the regulations and the FIBA ​​disciplinary code, in addition to the fight, pressing on the mistake of the judges with the game time counter. With the most favorable development of events for the Turkish side, the tournament management may decide to replay the match or even punish the Georgian team with a technical defeat.

Photo: © REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze

The main value will be the recordings from the cameras, which will reveal all the details of the scandalous episode. At the same time, FIBA, which will choose the measure of punishment for the Georgian team, will probably face sanctions itself – the participation of policemen in a fight can deal a reputational blow to the organizers and raise questions from higher authorities. Apparently, the Tbilisi law enforcement officers simply supported their compatriots in the conflict with the Turkish player. But the situation does not become less egregious and wild from this.