Cyprus Mail Slams Decision Allowing Maccabi Tel Aviv to Play Home Games
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
A critical editorial in Cyprus Mail questions the decision to allow Israeli basketball club Maccabi Tel Aviv to host its EuroLeague home games in Limassol. The article, published Tuesday, urges Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to explain the security and financial risks involved. It highlights concerns about potential fan disturbances and the police's ability to manage high-risk games. The editorial deems the decision "unthinkable" and "absurd," stating Cyprus has nothing to gain.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Cyprus Mail editorial criticizes allowing Maccabi Tel Aviv to host EuroLeague home games in Limassol.
- The editorial questions the security risks and potential for fan disturbances.
- It asks who will cover the significant policing costs for the games.
- The article calls on Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to explain the decision.
- The decision is described as "unthinkable" and "absurd" with no benefit to Cyprus.
A scathing editorial published by the Cypriot news outlet Cyprus Mail has criticized the decision to permit Israeli basketball club Maccabi Tel Aviv to host its EuroLeague home games at the Spyros Kyprianou Arena in Limassol. The editorial, titled "The President the Decision to Allow Israeli Maccabi to Use the Limassol Arena," questions the rationale behind the approval, warns of security implications, and calls on Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to provide public explanations.
The article notes that while some public criticism of the government's decision existed, it was primarily based on political considerations from the AKEL party and other activist groups, who have condemned Israel's actions in Gaza. No other party reportedly questioned the government's decision or sought explanations regarding its process.
The editorial raises concerns about whether a cost-benefit analysis was conducted, the risks associated with hosting games between Maccabi and two Turkish teams given current Israeli-Turkish tensions, and the potential for fan disturbances to spill into Limassol's streets, causing negative international publicity for Cyprus. It also questions the local police's capacity to manage high-risk games, citing their track record with domestic football disturbances.
Furthermore, the piece scrutinizes the financial implications, asking who will bear the policing costs, whether Cypriot taxpayers will foot the bill as they do for local sports events, and if the police can afford to allocate significant resources to securing over a dozen high-risk basketball games until April.
Concluding its critique, the editorial directly addresses President Christodoulides, calling his decision "unthinkable" given that Cyprus has nothing to gain. It suggests that while allowing Maccabi to play some EuroLeague games in Cyprus might have been acceptable, hosting all its home games is "absurd," and insists the government, and specifically the President, owes the public explanations due to his commitment to accountability and transparency.
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