Two rival clubs, al-Riyadi and Sagesse, stand out, in particular.
Benefitting from the large investments of late billionaire Antoine Choueiri, Lebanese basketball quickly flourished after the civil war (1975-1990) and experienced a golden age from the mid-1990s until 2013, when FIBA temporarily suspended the Lebanese Basketball Federation due to governance issues. “Basketball appeals to the Lebanese because the country is internationally competitive in most popular sports in the world.”īasketball has been an outlet for Lebanese society for a few decades now.
BOMB SQUAD TOURNAMENT 2022 FULL
“Sports are incredibly powerful because they’re a product that’s full of emotions – it’s a form of entertainment that meshes national identity with personal dreams and passions, regardless of political context,” Nadim Nassif, a scholar of sports history and governance based at Notre Dame University in Lebanon, told Al Jazeera.
Indeed, basketball has brought back much-needed joy, solidarity and hope to a country still ailing from the aftermath of a foiled uprising, the catastrophic Beirut port explosion, and a continuing financial collapse.īesides qualifying for the World Cup, which starts on Friday, Lebanon also had a magical run to the final of the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup in Indonesia last summer, when they lost by two points to Australia – the third-ranked country in the world.Ī few months before that, Lebanon lifted the 2022 Arab Championship trophy in front of a mostly Lebanese crowd in Dubai, mounting a spectacular fourth-quarter comeback to defeat reigning African champions Tunisia in the final.Įxperts say these successes have a profound effect on Lebanese society. Responding to Abed’s words, Sleiman takes a stab at the coworkers’ question in the comments: “What do we get from it? Thanks to this game we can experience pride in something called Lebanon rather than in parties, sects or politics.” There’s really no explaining our relationship with this sport.” “A lot of coworkers were confused and asked me what I get from all of this. “I was watching the game while at the office and couldn’t control my screams at every play,” Abed wrote in a Facebook group of 45,000 Lebanese basketball fans. Their qualification was confirmed after an easy win against India a few days later.įans took to social media after the Philippines game to express their elation. Unfazed by the pressure of 8,000 roaring fans and an onrushing Jordan Clarkson looking to block, the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup Most Valuable Player (MVP) makes the shot – effectively guaranteeing the small Arab country its place in the World Cup for the fourth time in its history. If the shot goes in, it will not only guarantee the win but will also help secure Lebanon’s ticket to the 2023 FIBA World Cup taking place this August and September. Beirut, Lebanon – It’s August 2022 and Lebanon are two points up on the Philippines with 18 seconds left in the game at a packed Nouhad Naufal Stadium in a Beirut suburb, when the ball spills out to Wael Arakji on the left – giving him the chance to sink a game-sealing three-pointer.
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