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-April 13th, 2005:
Today's 4pm press conference in Sagesse school-Achrafieh featured Sagesse superior and honorary President of Club Sagesse Father Paul Abdelssater, Club President judge Joseph Freiha, Board of Trustees President Henri Chalhoub, vice-president Sami Berberi and players Elie Mechantaf and Fady Khatib.
Judge Freiha, Father Abdelssater, Khatib and Mechantaf during the press conference.
Father Abdelssater started by saying: "We heard and read through the medias that the general assembly of the Club is about to question the current Club Board and withdraw the Assembly trust in its members. This is totally untrue, the present board was legally elected and received the blessings of his Excellency Beirut Archbishop Paul Matar. I jump on the opportunity to thank Mr Henri Chalhoub and the board of Trustees for the effort invested in the Club and its basketball and football sections and teams.
Thanks to their efforts, we were able to win the West Asian championship and we are looking forward for the Asian one.
Our Club is doing well and needs every true and supportive fan and member. The shaky start and the problems encountered for both the basketball and football teams were due to the late arrival of players right before the start of the season.
I repeat that whatever was said in the medias about the Assembly questioning the Board is absolutely not the appropriate way to help Sagesse Club in its journey".
Father Abdelssater closed his speech by thanking the management, players and fans who stood by their club and teams when they were in a fix.
A view of the assistance.
Captain Mechantaf resumed: "I add my voice to Father Abdelssater's by thanking all the good people who worked hard in the shadows to bring Sagesse back to the right track. We lost a few games in a row in the beginning, and this is something that Sagesse fans base is not accustomed to. Now thanks to the effort of these people we are back on track to recover our glory. Now that Fady is back with us, we are surely closer to achieve our goals, although there are lots of people who wish that we won't!
I end by saying that all the players are united for their Club and thank Mr Chalhoub for bringing them back on the right track. Our goals were to win the West Asian Cup and now we look forward to win the Asian title".
Fady Khatib during his speech.
Khatib followed by saying: "First I have to thank Mr Jaroudi, Mr Nader Hariri, the management and fans of Sporting club and I ask them to understand my position: Sporting Club is filled with stars and big names. I don't pretend to be the sole weight in the game's balance, but I believe that being with another Club than Sporting would bring the challenge and thrill back to the Lebanese basketball. That is why I decided to play next season with Sagesse after I try my luck in the NBA tryouts.
I thank you all for coming, this issue is very important to me as is important not to distort my words. As for the matter of the draft that I signed for the Sporting Club, I prefer not to open this issue in order to avoid any embarrassment that might result."
Answering a question about the legal state of Khatib's signature to Sporting, judge Freiha said that Sagesse deal with his old-new player Fady Khatib gets in effect as of next May. Freiha also insisted upon Sagesse and Sporting good relations, hoping it will linger on: "If there is a need to raise Khatib's signature issue, this should happen between the two clubs only, and we will uncover our deal with Khatib if needed".
Board of Trustees President Henri Chalhoub following the conference development.
Khatib denied signing any deal in the presence of an attorney with Sporting Club, in spite of Future TV reporter airing pictures of a page from the said-deal with Khatib's signature at the bottom.
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