World Olympic Qualifying Tournament added for 2008 Olympics

SAO PAULO (Beijing Olympic tournament for Women) - Twelve teams from throughout the world will participate in a new Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in June 2008 to secure one of the final five berths for the Beijing Summer Games.

The tournament will take place from 9 - 15 June 2008 in a yet-to-be announced location and will follow next summer's five continental qualification campaigns, which will yield five Olympic spots.

The breakdown of the 12 teams participating in the 2008 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament event is as follows: Europe will have four representatives, the Americas three, two each from Africa and Asia and one from Oceania - with the best ranked remaining teams from the 2007 continental qualifiers competing.

The five teams who secure their berth at the new tournament and the five continental qualifiers from next summer will be joined at the 2008 Olympics by hosts China and the gold medalists of the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women.

Below is a quick breakdown of the women's Olympic qualification procedure.

Besides the hosts China and the 2006 World Champions, each continent has one berth from the 2007 continental qualification campaign while the final five berths will be determined at the new Olympic qualifying tournament played June 9-15, 2008.

The 12-team tournament will include four European nations, three from the Americas, two each from Africa and Asia and one from Oceania.

Olympic Tournament for Women

• Directly Qualified:
  The host nation (CHN) - 1 team
  The gold medalists from the 2006 FIBA World Championship (tbd) - 1 team
• Qualified through the Continental Championships in 2007:
  Africa - 1 team
  Americas - 1 team
  Asia - 1 team
  Europe - 1 team
  Oceania - 1 team
  
• World Olympic Qualifying Tournament (9th - 15th June 2008) - 5 teams
  (Africa 2, Americas 3, Asia 2, Europe 4, Oceania 1)

Olympic Tournament for Men

• Directly Qualified:
  The host nation (China) - 1 team
  The gold medalists from the 2006 FIBA World Championship (Spain) 1 team
  
• Qualified through the Continental Championships in 2007:
  Africa - 1 team
  Americas - 2 teams
  Asia - 1 team
  Europe - 2 teams
  Oceania - 1 teams
  
• World Olympic Qualifying Tournament (7th - 13th July 2008) - 3 teams
  (Africa 2, Americas 3, Asia 2, Europe 4, Oceania 1)

Continental Championships 2007

Women:

FIBA Africa Championship - December 2007 (exact date tbc), Senegal
FIBA Asia Championship - June 2007 (exact date tbc), South Korea
FIBA Americas Championship - April 2007 (exact date tbc), Chile
FIBA Oceania Championship - September 2007 (Exact date tbc), AUS or NZL
FIBA Europe Championship - 24 Sept - 7 Oct 2007, Italy

Men:

FIBA Africa Championship - August 2007 (exact date tbc), Angola
FIBA Asia Championship - July 2007 (exact date tbc), Japan
FIBA Americas Championship - August 2007 (exact date tbc), Venezuela
FIBA Oceania Championship - September 2007 (Exact date tbc), AUS or NZL
FIBA Europe Championship - 4 - 16 September 2007, Spain