The Tiger Moves to China

Please subscribe to our blog to get our latest update ------->>>>> 

After choosing to stay in Lebanon despite a generous Chinese offer last year, 35-year-old Fadi El Khatib, aka the Tiger, chose to move to Foshan Long Lions, China, with a deal that is estimated to 500 000 USD.

Khatib has made this choice after witnessing the Lebanese basketball’s downfall. He regretted not taking foreign chances earlier. It would have greatly improved its career.

Picture: Via The Daily Star

Fadi El Khatib is not the first to make this move. Rony Fahd played 2 years with Tianjin Ronggang, and Sabah Khoury played with Qingdao, as reported by Lebanese newspaper The Daily Star. Khatib is believed to return to the Lebanese League to participate in the playoffs. 

According to The Daily Star, Khatib has undergone a medical test in China and will be joining his team in 2 weeks.

I hope this piece of news and the desperation of many players will push basketball decision makers to finally give to basketball what it really deserves: independence from politics, financial support and chances to shine worldwide.

Best of luck Fadi! 祝贺你！

Pascale Asmar

Read More

Lebanese Basketball Suffers another Blow

After being disqualified for some time by the FIBA, the national basketball team is suffering a new blow: the Lebanese Basketball Federation has officially withdrawn the team’s participation from the Jones Cup tournament that will take place in Taiwan from August 9 till August 17.

According to inner sources, the federation is suffering from financial problems: every trip costs around 75 000 USD and the FLB is incapable of financing the upcoming trip especially with a debt that is estimated around 100 000 USD. Resources are limited and the ministry of Youth and Sports contributes with tiny insufficient amounts. In addition, some players are refusing to participate in the tournament. Without its key players, and with the uncertainty of the participation of major players like Julien Khazzouh and Daniel Faris, the dream of dominating the Asian basketball is vanishing.

While all Asian teams are preparing to win the Asia Cup, the Lebanese national team is drowning. Who is to blame? First, politicians are the first to take the blame for interfering (as usual) and “politicizing” the game. I wonder why the ministry of Youth and Sorts as well as Lebanon parliamentary Commission for Youth and Sports do exist if they are incapable of supporting financially and morally the national team so it would achieve the best and regain its international rank after suffering major blows during the past months. Then, the FLB is also held accountable for not doing its job to find solutions to financial problems so its players won’t have to offer to pay their own flight, go overseas without pocket money and drown in sorrow and desperation.

Not only the national men’s team will be forbidden from participating; as a matter of fact, the junior men’s team (below 18) won’t be able to make it to Doha to participate in the Asian Championship for junior teams.

The Parliament can always find financial resources to pay illegal deputes who extended their own mandate, disregarding the laws, the Constitution and people’s will, but it seems always helpless and broke when it comes to giving rights to employees, teachers, professors, players, among many others. 


                                                                                                                                   Pascale Asmar

Read More

Stop Ruining Basketball.

Please subscribe to our blog to get our latest update ------->>>>> 

Who does not remember these days when basketball was all we cared about? When being Hkmewi or Riyadi was as diving as being 8 or 14 march?

It is sad to see that using basketball to conceal our eternal conflicts is still occurring.

Today, I was reading the news when this statement popped in front of my eyes.Two realities stroke me:

-Lebanese people are still intolerant and the struggle between Hekmi and Riyadi still exists. If it wasn’t for Hekemi’s president’s name, I would think that this piece of information is 10 years old.

-What did “Nadim Hakim” mean when he urged his club fans to stay polite because “there are women and children between the audiences”?
Should we conclude that it is very acceptable to shout and insult others if the audience was 100% male?
Mr. Hakim, with all my respect, but insulting the other club should not only be rejected to avoid penalties or to protect women and children.  The true spirit of any sport game is to know how to welcome winning and losing with the same amount of respect.

Rihab

Reference : Please check this link 

Your opinion counts, share it with us.

Read More