NBA

Romanian border police say Turkey canceled Enes Kanter's passport

AP

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian border police say Turkish authorities canceled the passport of Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter, who was briefly detained at a Romanian airport.

Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter.

Spokesman Fabian Badila told The Associated Press on Monday that Kanter arrived Saturday at about 1 p.m. from Frankfurt at Bucharest's Henri Coanda Airport, traveling on a Turkish passport.

Badila said "my colleagues discovered ... that the passport had been canceled by Turkish authorities, and legally he is not allowed to enter Romania."

MORE ON KANTER

 

Thunder F Enes Kanter back in U.S. after passport fiasco

Romanian minister defends keeping Kanter at airport

Fabila said Kanter remained in the airport's transit area and was told "he can leave wherever he wants." He said Kanter took a flight at about 5 p.m. via London on his way to the United States.

Kanter, who is Turkish, said in a video Saturday on his Twitter account that he believed he was held because of his political views.