Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon has banned basketball fans from attending games after a fist fight broke out between players from rival teams.
Sports and Youth Minister Abdul-Muttaleb Hinnawi told the local Al-Jadeed TV on Monday that the decision was taken by the interior minister.
The decision came after a Sunday night game between Lebanon's most popular teams, the Christian-backed Sagesse club and Sunni Muslim-supported Riyadi. During the match a fist fight between two players escalated into a brawl.
Local media said four players were injured and the game was halted with less than a minute left, with Riyadi leading 109-98. A few fans ran onto the court and joined the fight.
Brawls are not uncommon in Lebanon's stadiums, and similar decisions to ban fans from attending games have been taken in the past.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
