Syrian President al-Sharaa Says He Loves Basketball but Was Distracted by War
Photojournalist Omar Albam told TML: “I am very happy to see the stands of this hall filled with fans. It is an extraordinary event in a country emerging from a long war that lasted 14 years.”
Rizik Alabi/The Media Line
[DAMASCUS] Damascus witnessed yesterday the reopening of Al-Fayhaa Sports Hall, in a high-profile sporting event attended by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa alongside a number of ministers and officials, with a large public turnout that filled the arena’s stands. The inauguration marked a notable milestone in the rehabilitation of sports infrastructure, reflecting both official and popular interest in returning sports activity to the forefront of public life in the country.
Thousands of fans attended the opening event in an enthusiastic atmosphere that revived the stands that had been vacant for years. The ceremony also featured various artistic performances reflecting Syrian cultural identity, culminating in a friendly match between the Syrian national team and its Lebanese counterpart. It was a revival of international basketball competitions that had declined in recent years, both in their organization and their reach across Syrian provinces.
Prominent Syrian officials, including Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani, Interior Minister Anas Khattab, Sports Minister Mohammad Alhamid, and Syrian Basketball Federation President Rami Issa also attended. Notable sports figures from Lebanon were present, most notably Lebanese Basketball Federation President Akram Halabi and Hekmeh Club President Ragheb Haddad.
According to project data, the hall’s rehabilitation cost was approximately $3 million, part of the Ministry of Sports and Youth’s investment plan. The modernization works included a comprehensive rehabilitation of infrastructure and technical equipment, including replacing the court flooring, upgrading lighting and air conditioning systems, renovating stands and seating, and introducing modern digital systems such as screens, sound systems, and control systems. Advanced service facilities and VIP areas were also installed to enhance the hall’s capacity to host local and international tournaments.
During the event, al-Sharaa drew attention for how closely he followed the proceedings, watching the friendly match with clear enthusiasm. In remarks before the game, he said he has long been interested in basketball but was unable to follow it closely in the past because of years of military conflict and the country’s circumstances. He said the current phase creates an opportunity to revive interest in sports—not only as recreation, but as a sector that can help rebuild society and reinforce its regional role.
In his remarks before the start of the friendly match, al-Sharaa affirmed continuing to rehabilitate sports infrastructure in the country, noting that the Ministry of Sports and Youth, in cooperation with local federations, is working within a clear plan to revive the sector. He highlighted the importance of sports in attracting investment and improving the economy.
Alongside the official presence and strong public turnout at the opening, audience reactions were an important indicator of the event’s impact on the sports community. Several fans and sports observers shared their views on the return of Al-Fayhaa Hall to service. Some praised the rehabilitation, while others expressed hopes for broader development of the sector. A number of attendees said the event had implications beyond sports, extending to wider social and economic areas.
Syrian photojournalist Omar Albam told The Media Line: “I am very happy to see the stands of this hall filled with fans. It is an extraordinary event in a country emerging from a long war that lasted 14 years.”
He noted that Syrians are nearly as passionate about basketball as they are about football, especially when playing against Lebanese teams. “Although they defeated the Syrian national team 110-74, the joy that filled the stands was very great,” according to Albam.
Sawsan Al-Shami, a fan who attended the match, said she was happy with the event, especially since the hall reopened with world-class specifications that rival arenas around the world. She added in remarks to The Media Line that Syrians have become unaccustomed to such events since the former Assad regime had focused its attention solely on war.
Ahmad Al-Sayyid, a young man from Idlib, expressed pride in his country’s prosperity, stating in remarks to The Media Line that the large crowd reflects Syrians’ desire to begin a new life full of activity and work.
The event also opens a broader discussion about the state of sports in Syria over the past years, particularly during the era of Bashar Assad’s regime, when sports infrastructure was significantly affected by the conflict and many facilities were destroyed or neglected.
Human rights and media reports have also indicated that some sports facilities were, at times, used for non-sporting purposes, including being converted into detention centers, sparking widespread criticism and raising questions about the management of these public spaces.
The reopening of Al-Fayhaa Hall can be seen as part of a broader path of reconstruction and the restoration of normal life. Official entities are seeking to reactivate the service and sports sectors as indicators of recovery. Here, sports emerge as a tool with symbolic significance, used to rebuild social ties and enhance a sense of stability.
Basketball was invented in 1891 by James Naismith, a Canadian-born physical education instructor working in Massachusetts. He developed the game as an indoor activity for students during winter, using a ball and peach baskets as goals.
The origins of basketball in Syria date back to the early 20th century, when it first appeared in schools, particularly at Laïque School in Damascus, before spreading to other educational institutions such as the Italian School and the Scientific College, forming the sport’s initial nucleus in the country.
By the 1920s, the game began to take on a more organized form through matches between local and Lebanese teams, raising its technical level and strengthening its presence. During the 1930s and 1940s, basketball expanded significantly as it was adopted by sports clubs such as Barada Club, which achieved notable victories, including wins against French army teams, indicating the development at the local level.
During that period, the game spread to secondary schools and became part of organized sports, with tournaments held between teams, before moving beyond the school framework into the public sphere, where new clubs emerged, such as Al-Ahli, Al-Ghouta, and Al-Fityan. With the establishment of the Syrian Basketball Federation in 1948, the sport entered a phase of official organization, with unified tournaments and supervision. Syria also began participating in external competitions, including a tournament held in Cairo in 1949, marking the beginning of its international presence.
In the late 1950s, the recruitment of foreign coaches ushered in modern training methods, which were reflected in the improved technical performance of Syrian teams, solidifying basketball’s position as one of the country’s most prominent team sports.
The Syrian Basketball League was established in 1956 alongside the founding of the Basketball Federation. The club Al-Shabiba (now Al-Jalaa) won the first edition title in the 1956-57 season and remained champion until the 1978-79 season, when Al-Ahli Aleppo broke Al-Shabiba’s dominance and secured its first title in the 1979-80 season. Al-Jalaa is the most decorated club in the Syrian Basketball League, with 29 titles, followed by Al-Ahli Aleppo with 18 —both from Aleppo—and Al-Wahda from Damascus with 11.
The Syrian Arab Basketball Federation is the governing body of basketball in Syria and the direct authority responsible for the national teams, such as the Syrian national basketball team, and local clubs participating in the Syrian Basketball League. It joined the Asian Basketball Federation and the International Basketball Federation in 1948, making it one of the oldest basketball federations in the region.
The inauguration of Al-Fayhaa Hall represents a positive step for sports in Syria, reflecting a direction toward rebuilding what was damaged in past years. At the same time, it highlights the broader challenges facing the sector and raises questions about the future of sports in Syria, balancing recovery efforts with reform requirements.
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