ISTANBUL
Fully aware that his actions would likely result in his ejection from the game, a Turkish basketball coach still stepped onto the court late on Sept. 16 to protest the display of an anti-Turkish banner.
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Ergin Ataman, the coach of the Greek team Panathinaikos, took the stand during a pre-season friendly against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Greek Cypriot administration.
Ataman stormed onto the court to protest to game officials after he saw a banner hung by a Greek fan group criticizing the so-called Turkish occupation of the island since 1974, when Turkish troops were sent to Cyprus to protect Turkish Cypriots from a wave of ethnic attacks by Greek Cypriots. For doing so, he was ejected from the game.
The provocative banner had a map of the island of Cyprus with the northern part – home to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, founded in 1983 – shown as bleeding.
On Instagram, Ataman on Sept. 17 slammed the Greek fan club’s anti-Turkish banner.
He said he was “warmly welcomed” when he arrived at the airport with Panathinaikos for the friendly but then the banner during the game frustrated him.
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“However, in the arena, where sports and friendship should prevail, a political banner was displayed by a small group that I did not find fitting for the hospitality we have experienced here. I expressed my reaction to this situation in the strongest way possible to draw attention to it.”
“Sports arenas are places for friendship and peace, not politics. I know that the people who displayed that banner will not affect the emotions of the thousands of people who have shown me and my team love since day one here. There will always be a very special bond of affection between us and them.”
“I believe that sports and friendship will always win,” Ataman said.
Ataman, who is also head coach of the Türkiye National Basketball Team, in July signed a new contract with Panathinaikos that will keep the 58-year-old with the team until summer 2027.
Last season Ataman guided Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens to the 2024 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title, the club’s first European success in 13 years. Panathinaikos also won the Greek title, beating archrivals Olympiacos in June.
