Maccabi Tel Aviv issued an official response to Ergin Ataman following the EuroLeague game in Tel Aviv against Panathinaikos. Ataman described “exceptional hostility” from the bus arrival through departure, saying he was insulted for 40 minutes and adding: “This is not basketball. This is not a sport,”.
In a statement to BasketNews, CEO Avi Ben Tal said the club took additional steps to ensure Ataman could coach safely. Maccabi cited 12 security guards near him, plexiglass installed behind Panathinaikos’ bench, and stated that no incidents occurred while Ataman was in the arena.
Maccabi acknowledged offensive language from fans but framed it as a reaction to what it called Ataman’s previous provocations, dating back to the 2023 playoffs. The club said Ataman was “never in danger” and noted that many fans warmly welcomed Omer Yurtseven and Cedi Osman.
Commenta
Visualizza commenti