It is a testament to the
determination of officials for the international basketball league FIBA, and
the players particularly of its Asian and Oceania regional contingents, that
they would push to complete their qualifying tournaments in time to hold the
FIBA Asia Cup this year in Jakarta as planned. That is all impressive
considering the restrictions that pop up now and then due to COVID-19. Already there
has been has been a hiccup due to the Asia Qualifiers third window that was
supposed to be held here in the Philippines, being cancelled on Tuesday because
of travel bans. For a time, no country has volunteered to be an alternate host.
The question mark disappeared as
of the evening of Thursday according to the Philippine
Star. That is because hosting duties for the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers
third window have been picked up by Qatar, with the venue for the playing bubble
being at their capital of Doha. FIBA announced the decision this past January
28, or two days after the Philippines had to turn it down. In fact, several
other groups of national teams aiming for qualification to the Asia Cup will be
competing for their slots at Doha.
Clark in Pampanga would have been
the original bubble site for the third window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers,
which includes Philippine squad Gilas Pilipinas. A recent barrage of travel
restrictions in light of the entry of a more infectious strain of the COVID-19
virus from the UK however has forced the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) to
pass on hosting duties. Now that Qatar has accepted the responsibility of
getting these games through, Gilas will soon be flying to Doha, where their next
matches against Indonesia and South Korea will be played on February 20 and 22
respectively.
It seems the Middle East is
getting the lion’s share of 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifier games to process. Back
in November 2020 the second window matches were played in Manama, Bahrain. And
now, in addition to the Philippines’ Group A (alongside Indonesia, South Korea
and Thailand), Groups B and E are also Doha-bound. Other qualifying Groups with
unfinished games will continue playing at Manama. The 2021 FIBA Asia Cup itself
will be held, barring COVID-related issues, in Jakarta, Indonesia from August
16 to 28.
Image courtesy of Tiebreaker Times
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