Euroleague club fiasco: referees pelted with lighters and a crushing cup defeat
Partizan basketball team experienced a humiliating defeat against the youth team Mega and faced fan violence during the match.
The Euroleague match ended in disaster for Partizan as they lost to the youth squad Mega with a score of 58-80, leaving them nineteenth on the tournament table. The team struggled throughout the game, particularly in the last quarter where they scored only two points. The loss meant that Partizan was eliminated from cup competition, further adding to their woes this season.
Tensions escalated as discontented Partizan fans directed abusive chants at Nebojša Čović, the president of the Serbian basketball federation and former president of their rival team, Crvena Zvezda. The situation became untenable, leading to officials deciding to suspend the game early in the fourth quarter. As referees exited the court, they were subjected to being pelted with lighters and other objects by the agitated crowd, prompting serious concerns about safety and sportsmanship.
In response to the chaos, the organizers decided to expel the most vocal section of the Partizan supporters from the stands to restore order. After a lengthy 50-minute suspension, the teams returned to find the scoreline unchanged, as Mega continued to dominate the game. This incident underscores ongoing issues with fan conduct in sports and raises questions about the governance of Euroleague events, not to mention the future of the struggling Partizan team.