PHL set to accept FIBA hosting anew after Qatar cancellation

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) announced the Philippines as the host for two groups in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.

Hours after the Doha, Qatar hosting was cancelled due to the recent rise of Covid-19 cases, four neighboring FIBA Asia countries offered help for the event to push through.

FIBA said that a group will be hosted by Lebanon while two groups will be hosted in the Philippines. Group A composed of PH, South Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand will most likely be held in Clark, Pampanga.

“We are happy to state that in these difficult circumstances that we are experiencing, and just within the 18 hours after the forced cancellation of the Qatar bubble, four national federations already expressed their support to Fiba by proposing to host one or more groups in their country to play the cancelled games,” wrote Hagop Khajirian, FIBA Executive Director for Asia.

Previously, Clark, Pampanga was initially the host venue for the third and final window of the tournament but travel restrictions imposed by the government scrapped the proposed plan.

Right after the PH postponement, it was Doha, Qatar who was named as host country and was slated to kick-off the qualifiers on February 18.