PH to host Fiba Asia C’ships

AFTER 40 long years, the FIBA Asia Championship will be returning to the country on Aug. 1 to 11 after the basketball governing body gave the hosting rights to the Philippines in light of the growing turmoil in Lebanon and West Asia.

This development was reported late Thursday night on the FIBA Asia website, where the executive committee led by FIBA Asia Secretary General Hagop Khajirian explained the decision.

“Unfortunately, the current situation in the region and the ongoing civil war in Syria, which has its indirect effect on the countries in the whole of West Asia, especially on Lebanon, creates doubts about the stability that we might not have, at least, till the fixed dates of our event. In view of these facts, FIBA Asia Executive Committee decided to change the venue of the 27th FIBA Asia Championship from Beirut-Lebanon to Manila-Philippines,” he said in the statement.

This tournament is a prestigious competition considering that it is a qualifying event for the 2014 FIBA World Cup which will be played in Spain. The top three teams from the 27th FIBA Asia Championship will earn the right to represent Asia at the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

The Philippines had pushed hard for the hosting rights back in September but failed as it was given to Lebanon. The country last hosted this competition way back in 1973, wherein coincidentally, the Philippines won with a team led by Robert Jaworski, Mon Fernandez, Manny Paner and Bogs Adornado. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio