2007/III/15
Askapena's assesment of the Baskonia vs Maccabi Tel Aviv match

The match played in Gasteiz on March 7 between Baskonia and Maccabi from Tel Aviv not only meant the Maccabi's sportive defeat but also meant that it was not another basket match during the basket Euroliga, even though the rivalry between both teams. The match went beyond the mere sport.

It is truth that part of the public would rather avoid mixing "sport and politics" and just enjoying a good basket match, would rather avoid politics polluting "the spirit of sport that unifies peoples, colors and countries". But this idea did not success.

People possibly remember how the 1936 Olympic Games that took place in Berlin were used as political propaganda (as are more or less used subsequent Olympic Games). Israel is using sport (and music, science, business...) in the same way: to offer an image of an European, normalize, democratic, progressive... Israel

Nevertheless, just removing a little bit the makeup we are able to see the beast face. The match played on March 7 was the second "abnormal" match between Baskonia and Maccabi played in Gasteiz: 5 years ago Mossad agents in collaboration with the Ertzaintza [police belonging to the Basque administration] searched every single person who entered the sports hall: children, elder people, teenagers... They confiscate every single Palestinian flag, kufiya and t-shirt; every single Baskonia's banner... A little bit from Israel at home!!
This was our memory of this 2002 march.


Chronology of the 7 March match

Indar Baskonia [the group of Baskonia's fans] and Israeli Boikot initiative [the group that supports the boycott to Israel] held a press conference the day before the match to denounce the police control during the previous match, and to declare the Maccabi team and its fans "non grata"[not wanted] in the Basque Country. They also invited all the people who was going to attend the sports hall to show their disagreement with the fact that the Maccabi team is taking part in an European competition. As the press conference was going on, some members of the Maccabi passed by, and were extremely surprised.

Even though the strong police presence, this time the Palestinian flags and kufiyas, the banners... were allowed. During the match, a Mossad agent tried to remove a banner in favor of Palestine and the boycott to Israel. Most of the public answered loud and clear shouting "Maccabi out of Europe". The public also shouted "Palestina askatu!"[ Free Palestine!!] and "Sionistak, terroristak!" [Zionist, terrorist!!] .

After the match, two people showing a Palestinian flag and another calling for the Boycott to Israel interrupted the Maccabi press conference when the Maccabi trainer was going to speak. He left the room without finishing the press conference.

Askapena wants to congratulate Indar Baskonia and the public who spontaneously went to the sport hall wearing kufiyas, with Palestinian flags and banners, with balloons with the colors of the Palestinian flag... and the initiative "Israeli boikot", zorionak!

Not a Zionist visit to the Basque Country without an answer! "Israel? ez, eskerrik asko!" (Israel? No, thanks!)

Palestina askatu!
Israeli Boikota!