FIBA PR N°58
Meeting of the FIBA Central Board in Chicago
The FIBA Central Board met yesterday, Saturday 8th December, and today, Sunday 9th December, for its 3rd Session of the 2006-2010 Term of Office in Chicago, USA.
The meeting of the Central Board was organized in cooperation with USA Basketball, with the assistance of the United States Olympic Committee and World Sport Chicago, and featured the presence of the leaders from the NBA, the NCAA and of the host national federation, USA Basketball.
NBA Commissioner David J. Stern, NCAA President Myles Brand and USA Basketball President and FIBA Central Board member Val Ackerman all participated in phases of the meeting, accompanied by their respective top executive officers. Mr. Stern, Mr. Brand and Ms. Ackerman provided presentations on their organizations and participated in very productive debates with the FIBA Central Board members.
The working sessions with the NBA and the NCAA have been regarded by the FIBA Central Board as another very positive step in a long and fruitful collaboration with these two prestigious basketball organisations operating in the USA. Indeed, the presence of the NBA and the NCAA at the FIBA Central Board meeting is unmistakable proof of the continuous willingness of all parties involved to work together on many future initiatives and projects for the growth of basketball.
Below are some of the issues discussed and some of the decisions taken by the FIBA Central Board, which concluded its meeting on Sunday evening.
2. FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament to take place in Greece
The Central Board decided that the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men will take place, from 14th to 20th July 2008, in Athens, Greece, in the 18.000-seat OAKA Sports Arena located in Maroussi.
The remaining three men's berths for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games will be decided in this 12-team FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament that will feature the following participants: Brazil, Cape Verde, Canada, Cameroon, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Korea, Lebanon, New Zealand, Puerto Rico and Slovenia.
TOP 10 PLAYS 11-12-2007
The following nine teams have already booked their tickets for the Olympic Basketball Tournament for Men that will take place in Beijing, China, from 10th to 24th August 2008: Angola, Argentina, Australia, China, Iran, Lithuania, Russia, Spain and USA.
The draw that will determine the composition of the four groups of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men will take place on 31st January 2008 in Athens, Greece.
For further information on the system of competition of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men, please refer to Press Release # 53 or to the following link.
10. Opening of the bidding process for the FIBA 2014 World Championship
The FIBA Central Board decided to open the bidding process for the 2014 World Championship for Men. All National Federations interested in hosting FIBA's premier championship in 2014 will be required to send their letters of interest to FIBA by 30th April 2008. The complete bidding process will end when the Central Board decides the host during its meeting of April 2009.