FIBA - Profile of 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup wild card candidate: Poland

MIES (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - On 1 February 2014, FIBA's Central Board will announce the national teams that will be the recipients of the four wild cards to complete the field at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Fifteen national teams from across four FIBA zones submitted their applications for the wild cards. They all participated in their respective 2013 continental championships which are qualifying tournament for FIBA's flagship event in Spain next year (30 August-14 September 2014).

The 15 candidates are: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Nigeria, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Turkey and Venezuela.

In the lead-up to the decision on 1 February, we will profile all 15 applicants.

Today we look at Poland (POL).

Recent history in international competitions: Poland slumped to a 1-4 record in the First Round of EuroBasket 2013, resulting in an early exit from Slovenia. The Poles lost their opener to Georgia before falling by one point to Czech Republic and then by four points against Croatia. After a 36-point defeat at the hands of Spain, Poland closed off their competition with a 71-61 victory over tournament hosts Slovenia. Poland were playing at their fourth consecutive EuroBasket after taking part in the event only once between 1991 and 2007 (in 1997). They last made it on the podium with back-to-back third places in 1965 and 1967 and their most recent Semi-Final showing came in 1971. Poland have played at one FIBA World Championship, taking fifth place in 1967. Their last appearance on the world stage was at the 1980 Olympics.

Grzegorz Bachanski, the President of the Polish Basketball Federation, took time to state the case on behalf of his national federation to be given one of the four wild cards for Spain 2014.

FIBA: What are the three main reasons why Poland deserves to receive a wild card to participate in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup?
Bachanski: 1. Increased recognition of the sport. Poland is a country of long basketball history and big basketball passion. With a participation in the FIBA Basketball World Cup, we can offer our country a higher level of exposure to the sport and maintain its constant growth in popularity. 2. Basketball development. If we are to continue to progress in our efforts to develop the sport of basketball in Poland, our national team's presence in the FIBA Basketball World Cup is an essential factor. It is among our best opportunities to demonstrate the value of the sport in our country. 3. Guarantee of competitiveness. Our national team is one of the most competitive teams among the so-called "not title contenders".

FIBA: If given a wild card, how competitive can we expect Poland to be and how confident are you that the team will feature all its leading/best players?
Bachanski: As noted above, Poland can be recognised as one of the most competitive and interesting teams among those labelled "not title contenders". We have players who may attract a TV audience and supporters willing to buy tickets. By combining veterans like Marcin Gortat, Maciej Lampe, Szymon Szewczyk, Michal Ignerski, Lukasz Koszarek with talented players from the 1993-born generation - Mateusz Ponitka, Przemyslaw Karnowski, Tomasz Gielo, Michal Michalak (who finished second at the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship) - we have the most competitive national team in the last decade. All players who committed to EuroBasket 2013 had one goal: help the team qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Therefore, there is no doubt in our confidence that team of Poland can be competitive in Spain when it comes to the commitment of our leading players.

FIBA: How will having your national team play at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup help the growth, development and popularity of the sport in your country?
Bachanski: 1. The recognition of basketball will be highly increased. The championship will offer Poland the opportunity to compete against teams like the USA, Argentina, Spain, and other world basketball powers, which will generate a great amount of public attention for us. Ultimately this will help to draw young players into the sport so that we can build it even more strongly from within. 2. It also means more visibility on Poland's sport map. Volleyball and handball are strong competitive sports in Poland, so basketball has to compete by being present at main events every year. The wild card position will have a direct impact on increasing the popularity of the sport and can affect the number of children willing to play basketball. 3. Movement toward other long-term competition goals. One of the most important factors to move toward long-term goals is participation in FIBA's main events on an annual basis. As more young people see the sport and choose to play, we have a greater opportunity to build their sportsmanship and talent through the programmes organised by the national federation with the support of governmental institutions.

FIBA: What do you consider as the greatest moment in your country's basketball history?
Bachanski: Winning four medals at the European Championships (1939, 1963, 1965 and 1967), playing at the FIBA World Championship in Uruguay in 1967 and competing at six Olympics (1936, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1980) can be seen among the greatest moments in Polish men's basketball history. However, EuroBasket 2009 might be taken into consideration as the biggest basketball event ever organised in Poland. Among all these moments of pride, the two we would identify most strongly with are the silver medal at the 1963 European Championship and the honour of organising EuroBasket 2009. To this day, winning the silver medal in 1963 is perceived as the biggest success in Polish men's basketball. The organisation of EuroBasket 2009 was the event that gathered thousands of people together, not just in the stands or on the court, but also behind the scenes. There were many moments that will long be remembered.

Key facts and figures and additional information about basketball in Poland
• 38,928 licensed players
• 10,806 active players
• 623 registered clubs
• More than 50 official youth tournaments each year

FIBA