Israel's Hapoel Jerusalem to host basketball Champions League games in Belgrade-Xinhua

Israel's Hapoel Jerusalem to host basketball Champions League games in Belgrade

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2023-10-29 10:26:00

JERUSALEM, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- Israeli State Cup holders Hapoel Jerusalem will host its upcoming home FIBA Champions League games at Belgrade's Aleksandar Nikolic Hall, the Israeli club said in a statement on Saturday.

FIBA's Basketball Champions League and the club jointly reached the decision, due to the current security situation in Israel amid the war with Hamas.

It was approved after all guarantees were provided by Serbia's government and the Basketball Federation of Serbia, FIBA said, adding that due to security reasons, the games will be held behind closed doors.

The decision includes Jerusalem's next three home games in the four-team Group G, against Galatasaray on Wednesday, PAOK Thessaloniki on December 13, and SL Benfica a week later.

FIBA also announced that the upcoming home Europe Cup games of the Israeli sides Bnei Herzliya, Hapoel Galil Elion and Ironi Ness Ziona will be played in Cyprus.

The games of Israeli champions Elitzur Ramla in the women's EuroCup have been canceled due to the lack of a proposal for a neutral venue and the opponents' refusal to host both games, according to FIBA.