steve
Years ago

Australia & New Zealand are in trouble

FIBA has approved that Eurobasket 2011 will consist of
24 teams instead of 16 to qualify for the London Olympics.What this means is that Asia, Africa and Oceania will give up their 3 slots to FIBA Europe for
events such as the Olympics and 2014 World Champs.If
Australia and New Zealand want to participate in these
events, they would have to enter a FIBA Wildcard tournament in Europe.Each nation must pay a $500,000
Euro entry fee and finish in the top 3 to get into the
Olympics/World Champs.I don't think Australia & New
Zealand have the necessary funds to consistently stump
$500,000 euros every two years.

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LC
Years ago

Where is your source Steve? Nothing on FIBA.com website or their European or Eurobasket sites to support your claims.

In fact after checking, next year's 16 teams for Eurobasket are already confirmed (Link: http://linky.com.au/e2rkq) as follows:

Spain
Serbia
Greece
Slovenia
France
Croatia
Germany
Lithuania
Russia
Turkey
Montenegro
Great Britain
Belgium
F.Y.R. of Macedonia
Israel
Georgia
(notice there is no Italy!!!)

FIBA comprises of 5 world regions and each region has a set amount of WC and Olympic places. FIBA Europe is one of these regions and I would find it very hard to believe that FIBA Oceania or any other region's teams would be forced to play in another region's competition to qualify for such events as you claim. Maybe you have mixed up what is actually happening?

Nothing has changed as far as I am aware with regards to the qualification process for the 2012 London games.

As the Olympics has fewer teams than the WC's, and therefore quaslification for this event is definitely different to that of the WC's. Yopu are right iun saying that there will be an Olympic qualification tournament for those teams which have not yet qualified for the major event. FIBA Oceania has 1 qualification spot for the Olympics, so the loser of Australia vs New Zealand series would need to take part in this qualification tournament right before the Olympics to play in it.

So please, provide some evidence and clarity behind your claims.

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Anonymous
Years ago

Whoa ease up tiger where you read this balooney?

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Sebastian
Years ago

i'm waiting for an April fools gag! Considering for instance a Nation like turkey run a budget of 40 million Euro a year i'm sure they wouldnt be to happy pitching in 500,00 euro for a tournament

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Anonymous
Years ago

Italy basketball is in a bad time atm. Gallinari does not want to play for them, they dont have an international class pg, Vitali is ok but not up to the level.

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Anonymous
Years ago

I like Great Britain and Montenegro as outsiders. Montenegro will have the likes of quincy douby, omar cook and nikola pekovic, vladimir dasic and great britain have pretty solid team including Nate reinking,Azubuike,Ben Gordon,Luol Deng,Andrew Sullivan,Pops Bonsu,Ryan Richards,Eric Boateng,Joel Freeland and Dante Cunningham(Trailblazers).

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Nutwork
Years ago

& Corletto!

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ANON12
Years ago

I think Steve may have had too much whoopee juice. Can't believe a decision like that would be made, particularly when an Australian is runnig the show.

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Sebastian
Years ago

The president of the French Basketball federation is now in charge.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/FIBA/fibaStru/fibaPres.asp

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billo
Years ago

Considering for instance a Nation like turkey run a budget of 40 million Euro a year i'm sure they wouldnt be to happy pitching in 500,00 euro for a tournament

Huh? Are you saying Turkish Baskball has a budget of Euro 40m a year or the entire nation of Turkey has this budget? Either way I think you're totally wrong.

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Anonymous
Years ago

Eurobasket has changed to 24 teams but that has no effect on qualification spots from other continents at this stage, and I doubt it will.

Qual for 2012 Olympics = 2 from Europe, 2 from Americas, 1 from Oceania, Asia and Africa, and the USA as world champions.

The last four spots will come from the Olympic qual tournament which will be held before the Olympics. There is the possibility that GB will be given entry as host, but this is far from certain at this point.

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Hoops

Australia & New Zealand are in trouble

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