DUBAI: Lebanon’s national basketball team received a hero’s welcome on Thursday as they returned home after winning the Arab Basketball Championship for the first time.
They were crowned champions after a historic victory in Dubai on Wednesday when they defeated Tunisia 72-69 in the final.
Hundreds of fans gathered at Beirut airport to greet their sporting heroes with music and chanting. In return, members of the winning team happily showed off their hard-won trophy.
For many people in Lebanon, the team’s victory at the 24th ABC was an emotional and uplifting moment amid the worsening social, political and economic crises in the country. Some saw it as a rare glimmer of hope and optimism, as thousands of people in the country took to social media to praise and congratulate the players and thank them for providing even a brief distraction from their daily woes.
Many expressed their gratitude to the winners for helping to restore the image of their country, which they said has been tarnished by corrupt politicians. Some even jokingly called for the players to to be put in charge of the country.
One of those players, 27-year-old Wael Arakji, told Arab News: “We did our best to achieve this victory to give hope to our people and remind them that we don’t surrender, whatsoever.
“We made history, winning this championship for the first time amid all the darkness that Lebanon has been facing since the 2019 revolution, the Beirut Port blast in 2020 and the economic crisis.”
He thanked the fans, including those in the UAE “who supported us during the tournament until the end — without them, we wouldn’t have triumphed.”
He added: “This victory should be Lebanon’s torch of hope and I wish that it marks the end of our miseries and the beginning of a brighter tomorrow.”
Arakji, who delivered a spectacular personal performance in the final, scoring 22 points, promised fans that the team will now focus on beating Jordan and Saudi Arabia to qualify for the FIBA World Cup.
In the meantime, Lebanese fans continued to celebrate. Moe Shamseddine, a photographer living in Barcelona, said: “This result has united us again in times where the country is passing through its worst crisis ever and we needed such a ray of hope.”
Rana Nadim, a teacher in Dubai, said the victory warms the heart amid all the challenges facing Lebanon.
“Finally, we get to see some positivity amid all this grimness that the criminal and corrupt politicians have been giving us,” she said.
A Twitter user called Fathi wrote: “My heart is growing in this great country that, despite all its aches and sufferings because of its rulers, yet the people have will to survive and love life and challenge.”
In a message on Facebook, a doctor called Dany posted an image of the team celebrating and commented: “This is the type of loyal and hardworking patriots who should run the country, not the corrupt politicians.”
May Bassam, who lives in Paris, told Arab News that that the politicians should step down and the victorious basketball stars should rule the country.
“They stood united altogether and won five games in row to bring us joy … they are our true heroes,” she added.