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TORONTO, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Raptors forward Serge Ibaka and Bulls center Robin Lopez were ejected in the third quarter of the Tuesday night game where Toronto ultimately won 122-120 in overtime.
At the 3:58 mark of the third frame after a Jimmy Butler three-pointer, Lopez and Ibaka were tangled up while Ibaka went to pick up the ball to inbound. Lopez violently stripped the ball out of Ibaka's hands, causing an altercation between the two.
Before teammates and coaches could separate the duo, Lopez threw a right hand punch that just missed Ibaka. The Raptors forward retaliated with a right hand of his own that clipped Lopez's left ear. As a result of the incident, both players were ejected from the game.
Lopez believes that his initial punch was an attempt to move Ibaka away while coaches, teammates, and officials were trying to contain the situation.
""It seemed like I had three guys on me, I was being pulled back and I'm not sure what was going on the other end but it felt like nobody had any hold on him (Ibaka),"" explained Lopez after the game. ""He just kept coming at me; I was just trying to get him off me,"" he added.
Ibaka believes that frustration was the cause for Lopez's action.
""What happened is he was playing physical basketball and he got frustrated. We started to push each other and then he threw the punch,"" Ibaka said following the team's win. ""Like a man I had to defend myself. I'm not just going to be out there and watch a man like him punch me and walk away,"" he said.
Since 2006, fighting has been almost non-existent in the NBA.
""Not anymore. It's too expensive,"" said Raptors head coach Dwane Casey on the frequency of fighting in the league.
The most recent game involving a fight occurred on Dec. 2006 at Madison Square Garden between Nuggets and Knicks which resulted in seven players being suspended a total of 47 games. Players forfeited more than 1.2 million U.S. dollars in salaries and teams were fined half a million dollars each.
Two years prior to that, the Pistons and Pacers were involved in a large brawl involving players and local Detroit fans on Nov. 2004. This incident saw nine players suspended for a combined 146 games and lose 11.5 million U.S. dollars in salaries.
Ibaka expects a suspension but believes that his opponent should get a harsher penalty for instigating the incident.
""I want to play basketball and do not (want to) get suspended, but the fact is that he punched me first,"" said the 27-year-old native of Congo. ""I just hope the league will do their job. I know it is basketball and sometimes it gets physical and we talk trash and push each other. But punching like that, there's no room for that,"" he opinioned.
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by Chrispinus Omar
NAIROBI
Greg Olsen Shirt , Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Twelve foreign envoys from Western countries on Thursday called on Kenyans to shun violence ahead of fresh presidential elections to be held on Oct. 17.
The envoys from countries including Britain, the United States and Germany, in a joint statement
Kawann Short Shirt , stressed on the need for Kenyans to be allowed to express their will freely including through peaceful protests and urged the police to avoid using excessive force while protecting lives and property.
""Electoral violence remains a serious problem for Kenya and we again call on all leaders and citizens to reject it utterly. We are deeply troubled by the murder of Chris Msando and by the deaths and injuries we have seen in recent weeks,"" said the envoys.
The late Msando who was found murdered on July 29 was a key official at Kenya's electoral commission.
He was one of a handful of officials who had the electoral commission's computer system passwords and knew the exact location of the servers to run the election.
The foreign envoys said Kenyans have a right to peaceful protest, noting that no one should use or call for violence.
""We strongly urge the security services to avoid using excessive force and to protect lives and property. The police and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) should investigate crimes and reports of misconduct and those responsible for abuses must be prosecuted
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Both local and international human rights groups have accused police of using excessive force that led to the loss of lives during demonstrations by opposition supporters after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the winner of Aug. 8 elections.
The opposition said more than 100 of its supporters were killed between Aug. 11 and 13 while state-run human rights body put the death toll at 24. However, the police have dismissed the number, saying only six were killed.
According to the envoys
Ryan Kalil Shirt , if the right of all Kenyans to free, fair, and credible elections is to be realized
Luke Kuechly Shirt , Kenya's democratic institutions must do their job well and Kenyans should defend and give them due regard.
""This means supporting an independent Supreme Court and judiciary; all should respect justices doing their constitutionally-mandated work. Civil society should be permitted to perform its critical role without harassment,"" said the envoys.
The diplomats said the media, whether traditional or new
Cam Newton Shirt , also has an essential role to play in informing the public and in acting, along with civil society, as a watchdog.
""It should be allowed to do so without impediment
Christian McCaffrey Shirt , and it should do so without inciting hate. Most importantly, citizens should return to the ballot box to make their choice,"" said the envoys.
The diplomats said Friday's apex court's decision to annul the election of President Kenyatta was a strong call to everyone
Devin Funchess Jersey , including the international community, to reflect on how to make each election better than the previous one.
The envoys also cautioned Kenyans that the coming presidential election also faces risks from fake news despite a promise by the gove.
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