FIBA Basketball
Controversy Trails Inclusion Of Basketball In 2010 C'Wealth Games
Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA), has stepped into the controversy trailing the likelihood of not including basketball in the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be hosted by India
From: www.independentng.com
View source article here.
By Peter Edema
Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA), has stepped into the controversy trailing the likelihood of not including basketball in the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be hosted by India.
There are fears that the sport may not be included in the 2010 Games necessitating a visit by FIBA officials to key officials of the New Delhi Commonwealth Games Organising Committee.
The delegation led by FIBA Vice President, Bob Elphinston, and Senior FIBA staff, Lubomir Kotleba as well as Zoran Radovic last Tuesday met with the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games Organising Committee including its Chairman, Suresh Kalmadi, Secretary General, Lalit K. Bhanot and Indian Basketball Federation Secretary General, Harish Sharma.
FIBA, in its quest for the inclusion of the sport in future Commonwealth Games, had outlined basketball status worldwide and the success achieved in its first inclusion in the 2006 Games in Melbourne with sell out crowds at every game and excellent television coverage.
While New Delhi has requested for the inclusion of Tennis, Archery and Que Sports to the Sports Programme, the fourth team sport has not yet been agreed with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), but it has included Netball, Rugby and Hockey, while Cricket has not been included.
The CGF will review the Sports Programme in Melbourne before finalising the Sports Programme for New Delhi with the decision to be finally made at the CGF Assembly in 2007 in Sri Lanka.
"The FIBA Delegation received a very positive reception from the New Delhi Leaders," said Elphinston adding: "They were well aware of the rapidly growing popularity of basketball in India."
FIBA agreed to provide further advice in writing to the New Dehli organisers in support of their inclusion of basketball in the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
India has shown great progress in the Tournament to date following a very valuable pre-Games tour to New Zealand.
Although struggling to compete with world powers- Australia and New Zealand- India has long proved that they can become a force in Asian Basketball.
Meanwhile, Australia's two basketball teams show put up in Melbourne, was partly because of the fear that it might be the only time the sport is included in the Commonwealth Games.
That is because there is a genuine possibility that when the 2010 Games take place in India, basketball will be dropped from the schedule in favour of sports such as cricket and snooker, which are both much more popular in the sub-continent.
"It's not looking positive at the moment," admitted Lorraine Landon, Basketball Australia's General Manager.
"There will be some meetings during the Commonwealth Games with the Commonwealth Games Basketball Association and then it will be up to decisions made by the Indians.
"I think it depends a little bit on how this competition goes. I think the larger countries in the Commonwealth are very keen to see it continue. We just need to do some work."
If India, who has men and women's basketball teams competing in Melbourne, omits the sport in 2010 then there is a chance hoops could disappear off the Commonwealth Games radar.
The three countries competing to host the 2014 Games-Scotland, Canada and Nigeria-all play the sport to a reasonable standard but there are no guarantees they would include basketball in their respective itineraries.
Canada, despite having an NBA team in the Toronto Raptors and a spot in this year's FIBA World Championship for Women, have not sent a basketball team to Melbourne while the sport is not hugely popular in Scotland.
That leaves Nigeria, who with teams in this year's FIBA World Championship and FIBA World Championship for Women, and here in Australia, appear to be the best hope for basketball at the Commonwealth Games.
Stirling said: "This may be the inaugural and the only Commonwealth Games (for basketball), so...to win a gold medal when we have this opportunity is just something we really want to strive for." Goorjian added in Australian newspaper The Sunday Age: "I don't think an Australian team is going to have this opportunity again in my lifetime, where they play a tournament in their own country like this. "It's never going to happen in the world games. It's never going to happen at the Olympics.... so this is our chance. It's good for basketball."
View source article here.
By Peter Edema
Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA), has stepped into the controversy trailing the likelihood of not including basketball in the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be hosted by India.
There are fears that the sport may not be included in the 2010 Games necessitating a visit by FIBA officials to key officials of the New Delhi Commonwealth Games Organising Committee.
The delegation led by FIBA Vice President, Bob Elphinston, and Senior FIBA staff, Lubomir Kotleba as well as Zoran Radovic last Tuesday met with the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games Organising Committee including its Chairman, Suresh Kalmadi, Secretary General, Lalit K. Bhanot and Indian Basketball Federation Secretary General, Harish Sharma.
FIBA, in its quest for the inclusion of the sport in future Commonwealth Games, had outlined basketball status worldwide and the success achieved in its first inclusion in the 2006 Games in Melbourne with sell out crowds at every game and excellent television coverage.
While New Delhi has requested for the inclusion of Tennis, Archery and Que Sports to the Sports Programme, the fourth team sport has not yet been agreed with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), but it has included Netball, Rugby and Hockey, while Cricket has not been included.
The CGF will review the Sports Programme in Melbourne before finalising the Sports Programme for New Delhi with the decision to be finally made at the CGF Assembly in 2007 in Sri Lanka.
"The FIBA Delegation received a very positive reception from the New Delhi Leaders," said Elphinston adding: "They were well aware of the rapidly growing popularity of basketball in India."
FIBA agreed to provide further advice in writing to the New Dehli organisers in support of their inclusion of basketball in the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
India has shown great progress in the Tournament to date following a very valuable pre-Games tour to New Zealand.
Although struggling to compete with world powers- Australia and New Zealand- India has long proved that they can become a force in Asian Basketball.
Meanwhile, Australia's two basketball teams show put up in Melbourne, was partly because of the fear that it might be the only time the sport is included in the Commonwealth Games.
That is because there is a genuine possibility that when the 2010 Games take place in India, basketball will be dropped from the schedule in favour of sports such as cricket and snooker, which are both much more popular in the sub-continent.
"It's not looking positive at the moment," admitted Lorraine Landon, Basketball Australia's General Manager.
"There will be some meetings during the Commonwealth Games with the Commonwealth Games Basketball Association and then it will be up to decisions made by the Indians.
"I think it depends a little bit on how this competition goes. I think the larger countries in the Commonwealth are very keen to see it continue. We just need to do some work."
If India, who has men and women's basketball teams competing in Melbourne, omits the sport in 2010 then there is a chance hoops could disappear off the Commonwealth Games radar.
The three countries competing to host the 2014 Games-Scotland, Canada and Nigeria-all play the sport to a reasonable standard but there are no guarantees they would include basketball in their respective itineraries.
Canada, despite having an NBA team in the Toronto Raptors and a spot in this year's FIBA World Championship for Women, have not sent a basketball team to Melbourne while the sport is not hugely popular in Scotland.
That leaves Nigeria, who with teams in this year's FIBA World Championship and FIBA World Championship for Women, and here in Australia, appear to be the best hope for basketball at the Commonwealth Games.
Stirling said: "This may be the inaugural and the only Commonwealth Games (for basketball), so...to win a gold medal when we have this opportunity is just something we really want to strive for." Goorjian added in Australian newspaper The Sunday Age: "I don't think an Australian team is going to have this opportunity again in my lifetime, where they play a tournament in their own country like this. "It's never going to happen in the world games. It's never going to happen at the Olympics.... so this is our chance. It's good for basketball."