Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed a joint delegation from the "Sporting Club," the basketball champion of Lebanon, and "Hekmeh Club," in the presence of Minister of Youth and Sports George Kallas, honorary president of Hekmeh Club MP Jihad Beqradouni, and Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers Judge Mahmoud Makiyeh. Also present was a delegation from the administrative body of the "Sporting Club" headed by Mazen Tabara and the administrative body of Hekmeh Club headed by Ragheb Haddad.
At the beginning of the meeting, Mikati welcomed the members of both teams and stated: "Basketball has become very important and plays a significant role, whether in Lebanon or on the regional and international levels. The successes being achieved are a source of pride for all of us. The Sporting and Hekmeh teams cannot be differentiated in my eyes; ultimately, everyone has proven they play in a sportsmanlike spirit. Our aim is to show that this competition is to showcase the best."
He continued, "We are proud of you and your achievements, and we support you. The most important thing for us is for the game to end in a sportsmanlike spirit, regardless of who the winner is. It is crucial that we all remain united and wish each other well every year."
Minister Kallas, for his part, said: "Sports have proven that Lebanon is still smiling. We have always talked about sportsmanship, and now we are discussing sports ethics, which everyone has been keen on maintaining. I thank the Prime Minister for the invitation and reception. Just as the Grand Serail receives political and diplomatic delegations, it joyfully welcomes the sporting delegations today, specifically Hekmeh and the Sporting Club, and through them, all the youth in Lebanon. The Ministry of Youth and Sports provides moral support and I assure you, Prime Minister, that all sports teams are working diligently."
Honorary President of Hekmeh Club MP Jihad Beqradouni said: "I think for the first time in a long time, members of the Sporting and Hekmeh teams are happy because Hekmeh has achieved what it has, and Sporting has won the Lebanese Championship, which is an achievement in itself."
The president of Hekmeh Club noted: "I want to talk about Hekmeh Club, which has returned from afar and whose return has created this beautiful image today. The match between Hekmeh and Sporting was awaited by the entire Lebanese population, and basketball has returned to every home with engagement from both young and old. This is very significant, especially for the younger generation. This is the most beautiful image we have seen in a long time in the country, as the ongoing crises have made this week present the best image of Lebanon. We certainly respect Sporting Club and maintain good relations with its administrative members, while players have special relationships and have played on shared teams, with nothing separating us. Some tension may occur during certain matches, but it remains within the sportsmanlike spirit."
The president of Sporting Club stated: "The derby is always the heartbeat of basketball, taking Lebanese sports to farther reaches and always placing us on the international map; this is something we are proud of. This responsibility towards basketball keeps our youth ambitious, distances them from many ills, and presents a better image of our country, which is truly a place of coexistence, not just in words. We represent Lebanon, carrying the basketball championship for a long time, and as two teams, we will represent Lebanon abroad and showcase the best image of our country. We have special responsibilities in the diaspora and in Gulf countries, and we wish both teams success in achieving the furthest possible success."
