Dubai Basketball issued an official announcement confirming that they will play their ABA League home game in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to recent geopolitical events in the region.
Dubai Basketball have issued an official statement confirming that they will play their ABA League semifinal home games against Buducnost Podgorica in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Following several meetings held over the past few days between Dubai Basketball, the ABA League and Buducnost VOLI, it has been decided that the team will play the ABA League semi-finals in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Due to the recent geopolitical events in the region, the first game of the semi-finals series between Dubai Basketball and Buducnost VOLI will not be played at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai as initially planned. Over the past few days, the club worked together with all parties involved to explore the possibility of returning to the United Arab Emirates for the series, but it was ultimately decided that the game would be played in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In addition, the game date has been changed, and instead of being played on May 20, the match will now take place on Thursday, May 21 at 6:00 PM at Arena Husejin Smajlovic in Zenica.
Following the games on May 21 and May 25, and May 28 if a third game is necessary, the team will return to Dubai.
Dubai Basketball regrets not being able to reunite with its fans in Dubai yet. The club will continue working towards bringing games back to the city in anticipation of our potential qualification for the finals.
Dubai Basketball regrets not being able to reunite with its fans in Dubai yet, but the club will continue working towards bringing games back to the city as soon as possible.”
Credit Herve Bellenger/EuroLeague via Getty Images
Dubai Basketball initially announced a return to Coca-Cola Arena for the ABA League semifinals against Buducnost on May 20, but the ABA League later ruled that the games must be played at a neutral venue.
Since regional unrest began in February, Dubai Basketball have been forced to relocate all ABA League and EuroLeague home games to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
From March 12 onward, starting with a EuroLeague home game against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, the team have played nine “home” games in Sarajevo and Zenica, which have served as their temporary home courts over the past two months.
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