The KOP PARISII announced on Thursday that it intends to boycott the home game against Maccabi Tel Aviv to be held on January 16 because its members decided "not to treat this match as a typical game and to acknowledge the gravity of the situation."
The statement reads: "As you know, the game between Paris Basketball and Maccabi Tel Aviv will take place on January 16 at the Adidas Arena for the 22nd round of the EuroLeague.
At this time, we are uncertain about the security measures that will be implemented for this game or how many Maccabi supporters will travel to Paris.
Given the current context, we have decided, in consultation with the Board, not to treat this match as a typical game and to acknowledge the gravity of the situation.
Therefore, exceptionally, we will not animate the KOP stand for this match. There will be no drums, no songs, and no banners.
We do not wish to politicize the KOP or create divisions among our members. However, there are matters that transcend a simple basketball game -- our values and the broader principles of humanism.
Today, the KOP PARISII has nearly 200 members, and unlike in previous years, our voice carries weight."
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Paris Basket was founded only six years ago, and is on the rise. Last season, the team won the EuroCup, which secured it a place in the EuroLeague. After a single victory in its first four games in Europe's top league, it went on an incredible eight-game winning streak, and is now ranked fourth with a record of 6:11. In the first round, they defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 81:93 in Belgrade.