Turkish Coach Ataman Urges Referees to Remain Impartial in Upcoming Greece Match
Riga, Latvia – September 14, 2023 – Following a quarterfinal victory over Lithuania, Turkish national basketball team head coach Erdem Ataman has publicly called on referees to objectively assess fouls during Friday’s highly anticipated matchup against Greece, specifically referencing star player Giannis Antetokounmpo. Ataman’s comments, made during a press conference, suggest a concern that Antetokounmpo’s reputation might influence officiating decisions.
The call for impartiality comes as Antetokounmpo has drawn a significant number of fouls throughout the EuroBasket tournament, raising questions about whether his aggressive style of play is being adequately scrutinized.The stakes are high, wiht a spot in the tournament semifinals on the line, and Ataman’s remarks underscore the importance of fair play as both teams prepare for a clash of basketball titans.
Ataman noted a marked increase in foul calls involving Antetokounmpo in recent games, stating, “In Cyprus he took few free throws, but now against Lithuania he took 16 free throws. As far as I’ve seen, the referees shoudl still call fouls on Giannis.” He further observed a high volume of offensive fouls committed by Antetokounmpo in previous contests. Through five EuroBasket games, Antetokounmpo has been awarded 47 free throw attempts, converting 30 of them, including 16 attempts (with 11 made) during the quarterfinal against Lithuania.
Acknowledging Antetokounmpo’s scoring prowess, Ataman conceded, “Of course, Giannis will score points, so there is no chance to stop him from doing so. But we will not focus only on him, but try to defend normally.” He also highlighted his respect for Greek head coach Vassilis Spanoulis,adding,”Vassilis Spanoulis is not only a good tactician,but also a very intelligent person. I have spoken with him many times and I think he learned psychological strategies from me and now this will be a good duel for us as well.”
In a separate gesture, Ataman expressed gratitude to Turkish Airlines for arranging additional flights from Istanbul to Riga to accommodate a larger contingent of Turkish fans, with one extra plane arriving on Thursday, September 14th, carrying supporters to the game.
