"Complete agreement that it was the right decision” Newcastle Eagles back visa ban of Belarusian basketball team

Bosses at the Newcastle Eagles have supported a decision made by the Home Secretary to cancel the visas of the Belarusian men's basketball team who were due to play an important fixture in Newcastle on Monday.

On Saturday, the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, made the decision to cancel their visas as a result of Belarus's enabling of Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine.

The team were due to fly in to Tyneside on Saturday in order to compete in the World Cup Qualifier match which would have been held at the Vertu Motors Arena, home of the Newcastle Eagles.

A representative for the Newcastle Eagles sad: "Newcastle Eagles bosses have backed the decision to postpone tomorrow’s [Monday] World Cup qualifier between Great Britain and Belarus.

"There have been growing calls to ban Belarus from any sporting competition with immediate effect following the Eastern European nation’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

"And late on Friday basketball’s governing body, FIBA, confirmed the Group B clash at Newcastle’s Vertu Motors Arena had been called off.

“We fully support FIBA’s decision,” said Dan Black, Sales and Communications Manager at Newcastle Eagles.

“We look forward to the rescheduled tip-off and want to welcome back British basketball fans to the North East as soon as possible.”

"Prior to the postponement, sport’s governing bodies across the globe had been urged to ban the Belarus flag and refrain from playing the country’s national anthem at any outstanding international fixtures.

"Now it appears increasingly likely that the former Soviet state will be ostracised from all sporting competition until further notice.

"The Vertu Motors Arena was due to host a third successive GB international after acting head coach Marc