THE International Basketball Federation (Fiba) Central Board picked tried and tested China as host of the 2019 Fiba World Cup.
China beat the Philippines for the hosting rights of the 32-nation tournament, regarded as the Olympics of basketball, in a decision delayed for 45 minutes on Friday at the Prince Park Tower Hotel in Tokyo, Japan.
This means the Philippines has to go through a tough continental qualifying tournament, which starts in November 2017 when Asia will be merged with Oceania for the six-window, 15-month qualifying legs.
Fiba President Huracio Muratore announced the decision that sent the Chinese delegation, led by former National Basketball Association center Yao Ming, in jubilation while leaving the Philippine group in dismay and frustration.
China, which offered eight cities to host the 2019 tournament, was a clear-cut favorite to bag the hosting rights because of its infrastructure and experience to host world-level events.
Beijing was host of the 2008 Summer Olympics and the Chinese capital will also host the 2022 Winter Games.
The Philippine contingent, led by eight-division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and Filipino-American actor Lou Diamond Philipps, had an impressive and heart-touching presentation that prompted Yao to intimately tell Jimmy Alapag, “Your country has a better presentation.”
The country’s presentation centered on the Filipinos’ love for the sport and their relationship with social media.
The Fiba Central Board cited China’s experience in hosting the federation’s flagship event and its capability to perform according to the world’s expectations.
Besides Beijing, China will bring the 2019 World Cup in Nanjing, the host of last year’s Youth Olympic Games, as well as in Suzhou, Wuhan, 2010 Asian Games host Guangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan and Shenzhen.
Xu Jicheng, media and planning expert of China, committed 100,000 hotel rooms for each city and bragged that delegates from the 32 participating nations will be “treated like stars.”
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas President Manuel V. Pangilinan opened the country’s presentation. Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez Jr. was also a member of the Philippine delegation.
Image credits: AP