With five dry lines, the Bundesliga basketball team Alba Berlin closed a recent unpleasant chapter: “We thank Khalifa for the time we spent together in Berlin and wish him much success for the future. We now hope to quickly find a replacement for the major positions who suits us and who will help us in the best possible way in our still very tense personnel situation.”
This message refers to Alba sports director Himar Ojeda Center Khalifa Koumadje, who has apparently found a new employer in the Chinese first division club Shangdong. The Berliners announced that the 28-year-old’s contract, which would have run until 2026, was terminated by mutual agreement. They had been without their 2.21 meter tall center from Chad since the end of October; the 28-year-old had been suspended by the club.
Last season, Koumadje received three suspensions
Not the first time, last season Koumadje had to serve three bans for gross unsportsmanlike conduct. Koumadje had repeatedly become conspicuous by freaking out on the field, hitting opponents or insulting spectators. In the current season he hit a doping officer who forced his way into the team circle during the cup game in Crailsheim. The result was a fine and a suspension for Koumadje. When allegations of domestic violence were recently made on social media from the player’s private environment, it was apparently too much for the traditional club.
In terms of sport, the departure of the center is a severe weakening, Berlin is currently struggling with a never-ending misery of injuries, most recently it suffered an 86:115 defeat in the Euroleague at FC Bayern without eight regulars, and in the Bundesliga Berlin lost in Vechta 93: 96, on Thursday Alba visits Real Madrid in the European premier class.
Without Koumadje, for whom a replacement should be found as quickly as possible, although the sports director will certainly attach particular importance to the requirement “who suits us”.