By Eurohoops/ info@eurohoops.net
Partizan Belgrade players Carlik Jones, Isaac Bonga and Sterling Brown talked for the first time after their involvment in a street fight that took place outside a night club in Belgrade.
A few days ago, a report was published including footage from a street camera that was showing Jones, Bonga and Brown in a brawl with some other people. In the video, a person – allegedly Jones – smashed a battle on the head of another person, injuring him.
Partizan said that the three players received racial insults in a night club and then were attacked outside the establishment.
“I want to deeply apologize for the incident that occurred,” Jones said in a statement released by Partizan. “I allowed myself to be a part of something that I am not proud of. The act itself was inappropriate for a professional athlete to behave in this way, it is disappointing and a shame for me, my family, my teammates, the Club, the President and the Management. I want to apologize to everyone who supports me and looks up to me. I promise that this is not who I truly know as a person. I hope to move past this situation, learn from my mistakes and focus on basketball and what my team is trying to achieve. Thank you to the black and white family.”
Jones, Bonga and Brown gave their official statements to the police station of the Savski Venac region in Belgrade Tuesday (6/5). While the incident is being investigation their status and future at Partizan remains unclear.
“Despite being attacked, I know we should never have allowed ourselves to be in this situation,” mentioned Brown. “I’m sorry, because this behavior is not the example we should set as players. I apologize to the public, the fans, my teammates, the coaching staff, the president and the board. Personally, I hate that I allowed myself to be in the situation I was in and I want to make amends the best I can – on the field.”
“I’m sorry for the situation that unfolded the way it did,” said Bonga. “I have given a statement to the police about the entire incident and have cooperated fully. As a professional athlete, I hold myself to high standards and I know I could have acted differently. I apologize to the club for any unwanted attention this may have caused. This is not something I take lightly – and it is not something that will happen again,” Bonga stressed.