The President of the Emirates Basketball Association calls for the naturalization of tall players

The young national team star, Mahmoud Assad, penetrated the defenses of the Jordan Basket at the opening of the Arab Championship in Dubai

The head of the UAE Basketball Association, Major General Ismail Al Gergawi, renewed his demand for the responsible sports authorities in the country to grant team sports teams in general and basketball in particular the right to naturalize players, like football in the country, and the rest of the basketball teams in Arab countries, after the good level that "Al-Abyad" presented it by winning yesterday, Tuesday, its Jordanian counterpart, supported by American naturalization, by four points and with a result of "85-81", in the opening of the Arab Championship for men's teams, currently being held in its 24th edition in Dubai, and extending until February 16, with the participation of seven Arab teams. .

Al Gergawi said in a press statement: "We have previously addressed the authority (the General Sports Authority) years ago about the importance of naturalizing players in the basketball team, especially tall players, whose absence from the national team in the team has always constituted a weakness in the ranks of the "white" in his participation. The foreign ministry, when it collides with teams based on strengthening its ranks with naturalized players according to the regulations of the International Federation of the game, in the same image of the Jordanian team, which is participating in the Arab teams championship in Dubai, supported by its American player Kevin Ware.

He explained: "All the Gulf and Arab teams have sought for years to naturalize, with the exception of the UAE team, which prompts us, after the good level presented by the "white" in its opening match against Jordan, to renew our request to the country's sports authorities, to help naturalize distinguished players who are able to give the team the addition Required,” referring to raising this requirement to the General Sports Authority, after the federation had previously attempted in previous benefits to include a naturalized player of tall stature.

He continued, "The Emirates basket has always suffered from the absence of tall players, and the clubs must assume their responsibilities in this aspect by searching for talents capable of supporting the national team, in a way that facilitates our mission as a federation in reaching the appropriate squad capable of representing us in Arab and Asian events, and achieving results that satisfy Our ambitions, especially since, for several years, we have faced the same weakness when we face teams supported by high-quality naturalized people.”

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