Turkish Coach Erdem Can Ejected After Outburst at Israeli Referee

Turkish basketball coach Erdem Can was ejected from a EuroCup game after a severe outburst directed at Israeli referee Amit Back. The incident occurred during the opening round of the tournament when Can's team, Turk Telekom, was playing against Tenerife. Following a missed foul call in favor of his team at the start of the fourth quarter, Can engaged in a prolonged protest. The situation escalated dramatically when Can stormed onto the court in the middle of the game, shouting at Back. The referee moved away from the confrontation, while Can continued to be agitated. He was ultimately given two technical fouls and removed from the game, requiring assistance from two members of his staff to leave the court.

Can, known for his animated coaching style, has a history of contentious interactions with Israeli teams. Last season, his Turk Telekom squad eliminated Hapoel Jerusalem from the same competition. Following that victory, Can celebrated ostentatiously with a Turkish flag, stating, "I think this was a game where we represented our country properly. Reaching the semifinals and winning away against such a tough opponent was important. We see raising our flag proudly everywhere as the most beautiful thing in the world right now. One of our biggest motivations was to beat Hapoel Jerusalem and be able to raise this flag." Turk Telekom ultimately lost the recent game to Tenerife with a score of 82-75.