Hoops And Shells: Lebanon’s National Basketball Team Is Playing For Survival

-Analysis-

BEIRUT — “We are going to present the true image of Lebanon. We are living under shelling and war now. The Lebanese people are grieving; their homes are destroyed, and many have lost loved ones in the war. Today, we leave behind a devastated country, and we must rise to this responsibility.”

That was how Amir Saoud, captain of Lebanon’s national basketball team and a player for Al Riyadi Club, responded on the podcast “You Are the Referee” when asked about the purpose of the upcoming matches against the UAE and Syria, scheduled for Nov. 22 and 25 in Dubai.

Saoud made it clear that the primary objective of these matches is not simply to secure Lebanon’s almost guaranteed qualification for the FIBA Asia Cup, but rather to serve as a political and solidarity statement. FIBA forced Lebanon to play its home games abroad due to the ongoing war, selecting Dubai as the venue for a match against Syria on Nov. 25.

Lebanon and the UAE swapped home venues, with the UAE match — originally planned for Lebanon — now scheduled for Nov. 22 in Dubai. If circumstances allow, Lebanon will host the UAE for the return leg in February 2025. These games are part of the qualifiers for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia.

Lebanon currently leads its group, which includes Bahrain, the UAE and Syria — a relatively easy group given Lebanon’s technical superiority over most Arab teams. This underscores Saoud’s emphasis on the non-sporting importance of the matches. They also offer a chance for Lebanese fans to reconnect with their basketball teams, as the war has halted the promising Lebanese Basketball League season and other sports activities.

Politics and basketball

Wael Arakji will also join the national team in Dubai, returning after missing the Olympic qualifiers due to the birth of his first child. The presence of Asia’s best player will undoubtedly provide both technical and morale boosts to the team. Yet Arakji’s influence goes beyond the court. Unlike most basketball players who avoid expressing political affiliations, Arakji is known for his bold and outspoken nature.

In the 2022 Asia Cup, Arakji famously clashed with then-Prime Minister Najib Mikati, telling him to “shut up” after Mikati congratulated the team for reaching the semifinals. This incident led to a public spat, with Mikati issuing a statement criticizing Arakji, which in turn sparked widespread support for the player among Lebanese fans.

Arakji has been active in relief efforts during the war, distributing food to displaced families and spearheading various fundraising initiatives.

This ball is not just a game; it’s a means of escape.

One notable effort involved handing out basketballs to schoolchildren, each accompanied by a message: “Dear children, this ball is not just a game; it’s a means of escape, as it was for me. When things get tough, let playing with it be your path to hope and freedom.”

Arakji has often dedicated his victories to the Lebanese people, highlighting their struggles amidst the country’s economic collapse. After reaching the Asia Cup finals in 2022, he said, “We come from a country full of sorrow, and we only want to bring joy to our people.”

In June 2023, he dedicated his club’s WASL Championship victory to the martyrs of South Lebanon and Palestine, wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh during the celebration.

Wartime basketball, past and present

Comparisons between the current conflict and the July 2006 war with Israel are ongoing, across politics, destruction, casualties and economic impact. Both wars severely affected basketball in Lebanon, though the current conflict’s impact has been more profound.

In 2006, Lebanon was set to compete in the FIBA World Championship in Japan. Amid an Israeli blockade and the destruction of Beirut’s airport, the team had to travel overland through northern Lebanon into Syria, then to Jordan, and eventually to Japan after training in various cities. Despite the arduous journey, Lebanon pulled off a historic upset against powerhouse France.

Maintaining the standard of the Lebanese Basketball League amid war is a daunting challenge.

Today’s conflict, however, is longer and more disruptive. While the 2006 war occurred during the off-season, the current war began on Sept. 23, just days before the Lebanese Basketball League was set to start. The league remains suspended, with no clear timeline for resumption.

Fate of the league

This disruption has financial and performance implications for players and coaches, some of whom have sought temporary opportunities in lower-tier leagues in Qatar, Syria and Libya. Continued instability threatens the progress of Lebanese basketball, which had reached a high level of technical sophistication and gained regional popularity in recent years.

Although Lebanon’s path to the 2025 Asia Cup seems smooth, maintaining the standard of the Lebanese Basketball League amid war is a daunting challenge. Questions loom over how the league will be structured, the retention of players and coaches, the recruitment of foreign talent, and securing sponsorships in a war-torn, economically devastated country.

Basketball in Lebanon continues to mirror the nation’s struggles. After weathering economic collapse and the pandemic, the sport was on a path to recovery — until this latest war brought it to its knees once again.