Spain's Valencia basketball team, which is scheduled to play against Maccabee Tel Aviv tomorrow in Tel Aviv in the Euroleague tournament, has announced that it will not arrive - because of the security situation.
The management of Valencia announced that in the wake of the killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the situation in Israel has become too volatile for its players. "Our players are afraid, and were unable to concentrate during the last training session," the team announced. Euroleague officials do not accept this claim, and say that Valencia will be punished with a 20-0 forfeit defeat as well as a monetary fine if it does not show up as scheduled. "We have received the necessary guarantees from Maccabee that Valencia will be protected from the moment they arrive until they leave," a Euroleague official said.
Maccabee coach Shimon Mizrachi said that he wonders whether Valencia is afraid for its security - or of a defeat on the field.
It should be noted that sporting events are taking place in Madrid as usual, even following the recent terrorist attack that killed 200 train passengers there. "Israel's Foreign Ministry has issued a travel advisory not to travel to Turkey," Mizrachi said, "but despite this we will be going there next week to play."
The much-touted Final Four of the Euroleague games is scheduled to be held in Tel Aviv next month.
The management of Valencia announced that in the wake of the killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the situation in Israel has become too volatile for its players. "Our players are afraid, and were unable to concentrate during the last training session," the team announced. Euroleague officials do not accept this claim, and say that Valencia will be punished with a 20-0 forfeit defeat as well as a monetary fine if it does not show up as scheduled. "We have received the necessary guarantees from Maccabee that Valencia will be protected from the moment they arrive until they leave," a Euroleague official said.
Maccabee coach Shimon Mizrachi said that he wonders whether Valencia is afraid for its security - or of a defeat on the field.
It should be noted that sporting events are taking place in Madrid as usual, even following the recent terrorist attack that killed 200 train passengers there. "Israel's Foreign Ministry has issued a travel advisory not to travel to Turkey," Mizrachi said, "but despite this we will be going there next week to play."
The much-touted Final Four of the Euroleague games is scheduled to be held in Tel Aviv next month.