Olympic Test Event passing with flying colours

LONDON (Olympic Test Event/Olympics) - The Olympic Test Event will draw to a close in London this weekend and the return of Luol Deng to the Great Britain squad - after missing the first three games - is sure to give the home fans that bit more to cheer about.

Behind the scenes, there already is a good amount to cheer about as the tournament has been deemed a success both on and off the court.

"So far so good. It's been going really well," said Joanna Sutherland, London 2012 Competition Manager for Basketball.

"The main thing is always that out on the court what everyone sees runs smoothly, that athletes and teams are happy and for all the things that need adjusting to be dealt with in the back of house."

For Sutherland, a former Scotland international who worked for years at FIBA, FIBA Europe and the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB), a key aspect of the event was to make it as competitive as possible. That required chasing teams a year ago.

"I started scoping the teams at the FIBA World Championship last year," she recalled.

"I made enquiries of interest because I wanted to make it a competitive event. It wasn't going to be just for show, I wanted a really good tournament.

"I spoke to the teams at the World Championship in Turkey and continued talking to them up to Christmas. I had some confirmations by then and at the end of January of this year we had the six teams."

The end result was a field of competition that includes leading men's national teams from Serbia, France, Australia, Croatia, China and hosts Great Britain.

Another important factor was the place of the test event in the summer calendar.

FIBA Secretary-General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Patrick Baumann believes the organising committee got the timing just right.

"I think it was very smart to put this tournament at this time because every team needs tournaments of this kind in order to prepare for the official competitions (continental championships)," he said.

"So that was a smart choice. It helps Great Britain in its preparations and helps the other teams. So that's really the key ingredient in making this a fine tournament."

For Sutherland and her team, the Olympic Test Event has been the main order of business over the last five months.

"Obviously we had all the preparations for the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games but really it's been the last four or five months where we've really ramped up and the last month has been almost entirely test event," she said.

"When we go back next week, it's back in Olympic Games mode. So that's going to be really strange to have the test event out of the way."

Sutherland is grateful for all the help she has had and is quick to praise all who have played a part in the success of this week's event.

"I'm really pleased with my team," she enthused. "This is the team I will have in place next year. They've all come to this event to work for the week and they're doing really well.

"The volunteers have been fantastic, really really enthusiastic, really really keen. They've been great. I'm really pleased and really confident of what they're capable of next year."

FIBA's role at this week's Olympic Test Event has been to help put everything and everyone to the test.

"We're testing the venue which is a new one and which we will be using in the Preliminary Rounds of the Olympic Games next year," Baumann explained.

"We're helping the organising committee test the decision-making process, the volunteers, the flow of people and more. Every function that is possible to test is being tested.

"It's a nice arena, it's still regretable that it's a only temporary arena and there are some aspects that need to be revisited. But I'm certain that everything will be ready by next year."

As a member of the IOC, Baumann has seen the development of the Olympic Park over the years and had nothing but praise for the organisers of next year's Games.

"I think it's amazing what has happened in this area of London and how the organising committee and the city have been able to change this area totally," he said.

"It's just incredible. It's still a working place so it's a bit complicated to see what it will all look like when ready.

"I was five years ago and I remember what it was like then. This is just a totally new area, new residence, huge commercial centre. I think it's just incredible."

With this kind of praise, Sutherland is in no doubt that the long working days as well as the countless sleepless nights already had - and the ones likely to come over the next year - are all worth the while.

"This is the best job I could have," she said.

"I love it."

FIBA