PH cancels FIBA February window hosting due to travel restrictions

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

After the Philippine government imposed travel bans as a part of the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 new variant, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) announced that they can no longer host the February window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.

With less than a month left before kickoff, the travel restriction will make things impossible to push through since FIBA officials and participating teams will be traveling from outside the country.

“We’ve exerted a lot of effort into our hosting of the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers and this is why it is with great sadness that we announce it is no longer going to happen,” said SBP president Al Panlilio.

The Philippines was supposed to cater and stage the FIBA Asia Cup Groups A and C which would have been held in Clark, Pampanga where the PBA bubble was also done.

“We were confident we’d be able to host a safe environment where world-class basketball players can showcase their skill without having to worry about anything else,” added Panlilio.

Panlilio and the rest of the SBP are currently working hand in hand with the FIBA management regarding the next possible venue of the February FIBA Asia Cup window.