The sports atmosphere in Abu Dhabi was unexpectedly overshadowed by security tensions when matches of the Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT) had to be postponed after loud explosions near the venue.
Mickael Pivaud, coach of AS Monaco U18 team, was the person who directly witnessed the moment the match was stopped. At that time, Monaco was leading Aris Thessaloniki 40-34 at the end of the second half when the organizers suddenly requested a temporary suspension and evacuation of all teams.
In addition to U18 AS Monaco, the youth teams of Real Madrid and Valencia Basket are also participating in the tournament here.
After the postponement decision, the two teams agreed to try to resume the match a few hours later. However, the actual situation did not allow it and the young players were forced to be escorted back to the gathering hotel.
The most tense moment occurred when the delegation left the gymnasium. "As soon as the door opened, a missile intercepted an aerial warhead. It exploded in the sky before our eyes. At that time, everything became very intense," Pivaud recounted.
Since returning to the hotel, the teams have not been allowed to go out. They can only move to the rooftop area near the swimming pool. From here, interceptions can still be seen in the sky.
The Monaco coach said he is constantly contacting the players' families to reassure them: "We told them not to worry too much. There is no direct danger to them.
It is not yet clear when the teams can leave the UAE, because the airspace is still closed. The EuroLeague organizers have collected passports from the delegations and are considering the option of chartering private flights if commercial flights are resumed.
