Two Spanish basketball teams decided they will face Israeli clubs behind closed doors this week for safety reasons.
La Laguna Tenerife and Baxi Manresa put out a joint statement late on Sunday explaining the decision regarding matches against Bnei Herzliya and Hapoel Jerusalem respectively.
Tenerife are set to host Herzliya on Tuesday in the Champions League, while Manresa’s match is in the Euro Cup on Wednesday.
Pro-Palestinian protestors had called for matches against Israeli opposition to be cancelled.
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The clubs said they “cannot unilaterally decide not to play” the matches without “risk of disciplinary and financial sanctions, as well as expulsion from said competitions.”
Tenerife and Manresa decided to play behind closed doors to “guarantee the safety of all involved” and so that the matches could be played without disruption.
Valencia Basket are due to face Hapoel Tel Aviv, another Israeli team, in the EuroLeague competition on Wednesday and Spanish media reports say that match could be played before a reduced crowd or even behind closed doors as well.
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Last week Barcelona rejected a request from Hapoel Jerusalem to train on their Palau Blaugrana court before the game against Manresa, after an increase in protests against Israel because of their two-year military campaign in Gaza.
Spain’s government has labelled Israel’s actions a “genocide” and prime minister Pedro Sanchez in September called for Israeli teams to be excluded from international sport.
At La Liga football matches around the country some supporters have waved Palestinian flags and raised banners criticising Israel over the past few weeks.
