"If the security camera footage don't come to us, we will leave this tournament"- Turkey threatens to quit EuroBasket as Philadelphia 76ers forward allegedly gets attacked by opposition players and security
Philadelphia 76ers forward Furkan Korkmaz was at the center of a recent controversy at the 2022 EuroBasket. Korkmaz is playing for Turkey in the tournament.
During Turkey's clash against co-hosts Georgia, Kormaz and Georgia's Duda Sanadze both got ejected as they got into it verbally and, to an extent, physically.
Furkan Korkmaz getting into it with Georgia's Duda Sanadze
Fans started throwing cups onto the court 😳
https://t.co/GSsKveHxQX
Their altercation proved to be the starting point for the ugly incidents that allegedly happened later.
According to the Turkish Basketball Federation's Vice President, Omer Onan, Korkmaz was attacked by Georgia players including Sanadze, and security personnel.
The incident took place when the veteran NBA player was heading to the locker room after his ejection. Here's what Onan said in a statement (via EuroHoops):
“While Furkan Korkmaz was walking in the hallway to the locker rooms with our trainer, Georgia’s players who were not in the active roster attacked him together with the ejected player (ed.note: Duda Sanadze) and the police.
There should not be an attack on the player that goes to the locker room. At the end of the match, 30 policemen each pushed us into a fight."
Furkan Kormaz reportedly escaped potential injuries following his ejection and altercation in the locker room area.
Hearing from a source that Furkan Korkmaz is fine and that there appears to have been some sort of altercation following his ejection. Was playing with Turkey in #EuroBasket22 against Georgia.
Turkey threatens to pull out of the EuroBasket if they don't get security tapes following attack on Philadelphia 76ers' Furkan Korkmaz
The Turkish Basketball Federation's Vice President Omer Onan seems to be taking a strong stance following the alleged attack on Philadelphia 76ers player Furkan Kormaz.
Onan said that if the federation doesn't receive security footage of the locker rooms, Turkey will pull out of the EuroBasket tournament. Here's what he said:
"We got into a fight with Georgia’s official police. I am calling out to FIBA and I have also told FIBA’s officials. Let no one deceive themselves or think that we are stupid. They will bring us all the camera footage from that corridor minute by minute without anything missing. If those cameras do not come to us, we will leave this tournament.”
Another mid-game controversy followed after Korkmaz's ejection. 22 seconds from the game clock were lost during the incident. Turkey has also filed a protest against the same before FIBA officials. Turkey lost the tie 88-83 in double overtime.
The 2022 EuroBasket is an intriguing tournament on paper due to the talent on display. However, the headlines now circling the event will be dominated by the controversy that erupted during the Turkey vs. Georgia game.