Deputy Chairman of the Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) Omer Onanreacted harshly to what happened in the Turkey-Georgia match played in the 2022 European Championship and to the attack on the national player Furkan Korkmaz in the dressing room corridor.
Onan, who made a statement to the press after the match played in Tbilisi Arena, where the crescent-star team was defeated 88-83 as a result of two overtime episodes, said that the national player in the tense match. Furkan Korkmaz with Georgian basketball player Duda SanadzeRecalling that he was disqualified, he said:
“While Furkan was going to our locker room with a conditioner next to him, they attacked the players who were not playing in the corridor, along with the kicked players and the police. The match was over, we lost, thirty policemen on both sides of us started a fight in front of the locker room. Georgia’s official police had a physical fight with us. From here, FIBA We are calling out to FIBA. I also told the officials of FIBA. Nobody should deceive themselves and think that nobody is stupid. They will bring all the camera footage in that corridor to us, minute by minute, without missing a second. If they don’t, I will Hedayet (Turkoglu) I’ve spoken to the president now. We leave this tournament.”
Ömer Onan underlined that no one was harmed in the European championships organized by Turkey, “We will almost bump into each other in the corridor with the Georgian police. We say open up, they won’t open up. I repeat to FIBA clearly and unequivocally, it’s not like, ‘No, the cameras were deleted, there was no mess in the room, there was no loss of 2 seconds.’ All the cameras will be looked at one by one. We will see what decision they will take on them. If they don’t do this very urgently, I’m sorry our players are very valuable, we will not let any of these children get hurt. We will withdraw from this tournament. Such a tournament will not be held.” he said.
Onan stated that the biggest mistake in the incident was FIBA. “The biggest mistake here is FIBA’s. There have been a thousand shortcomings since the day we arrived. Players go 45 minutes from the hotel to the hall. But if you can’t get the safety of two players here. Then you won’t do this. We’ll talk to our consul here now. Let security come. They obviously won’t protect you. We are also talking to the President, Hidayet. They will bring all the cameras in front of us.” expressed an opinion.
Ömer Onan explained that some Georgian players were involved in the attack in the corridor, “Players who don’t play, Shengelia… The man who plays the match, does 3 people go to the locker room? 3 players who play on the side enter. I became both a player and a manager, it’s the first time in my life that I’ve seen such a thing. It’s one of those people who are so careless, so self-conscious. gathered together… FIBA is responsible for this.” made its assessment.
Onan, arguing that a rule mistake was made in the match, “That’s a separate issue too. There’s nothing to hold back, we objected. The captain’s signature is required. We’ll deposit the money, we’ll see. Clear rule error.” used the phrases.