The repercussions of the events at the Mazhar Hall in Antelias continue to unfold following violent riots, physical altercations, and assaults against players after the victory of the Merymiens team over their hosts, Homenetmen, with a score of 88-84 in the tenth round of the Lebanese Basketball Championship. Players from the Merymiens team were assaulted by some Homenetmen fans, with Patrick Bou Abboud suffering a severe injury to his nose.
The Homenetmen Basketball Committee issued an official statement in response to the riots, expressing, through its president and all members, "the strongest condemnation of the un-sportsmanlike events and altercations that occurred at the conclusion of our match yesterday with Merymiens - Chafif, with whom we have a long-standing strong relationship."
The statement added: "It is worth mentioning that what happened is not aligned with the values and ethics of Homenetmen Club, nor with the principles of its sports-loving audience, who accept the results regardless of what they may be, especially since the latter was founded on the supreme principles of its founders focusing on elevating sportsmanship."
The statement continued: "The Homenetmen Basketball Committee regrets the individual unethical behavior, which, regardless of who provoked that reaction, does not represent in any way the direction and conduct of Homenetmen Club. Any behavior outside the frameworks of sports is disdained by Homenetmen Club, and the Basketball Committee will take necessary actions to eliminate these manifestations in its arenas caused by the individual actions of a very limited number of undisciplined elements that do not represent Homenetmen Club in any way, either organizationally or morally."
The committee extended its best wishes for a speedy recovery to Patrick Bou Abboud, a well-regarded player of the club, and emphasized that they would take all necessary measures against the individual responsible for his injury, which the committee considers completely unacceptable and unequivocally condemned. They stated that the pain of player Patrick Bou Abboud is the pain of Homenetmen Club, and his dignity is the club's dignity.
In conclusion, the Homenetmen Basketball Committee reiterated to all fans and stakeholders in the basketball game that "sports are ethics, first and foremost, and results are only for fair competition," hoping that "all our arenas can rid themselves of any blemish, no matter what it might be, and that the Basketball Committee will take noticeable steps in this regard."
After a highly intense match between Homenetmen and Merymiens, which ended with the latter winning 88-84, a significant altercation occurred that was captured on cameras and took place in front of spectators inside the Mazhar Hall.
In detail, after the referees announced the end of the match with the victory of the Merymiens, things remained calm for a few minutes. However, as the players left the court, a major altercation broke out, leading to chaos inside the hall, necessitating the intervention of the security personnel from the Lebanese Basketball Federation, along with some officials from Homenetmen Club, including Guy Manoukian, to calm the situation.
