FIBA U-17: Spain to host junior Tigresses

BY JOE APU
SPAIN has been awarded the hosting right for the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championships for Men and Women with the city of Zaragoza, playing host to the rest of the world.
This was revealed at the end of a meeting of the FIBA’s Central Board, which held its first meeting of 2016 on Friday-Saturday 11-12 March at the House of Basketball.
The Nigerian team coached by Adeka Daudu would therefore be heading to Spain for the championship billed for later in the year.
The meeting also approved the guidelines that will govern the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers under FIBA’s new competition system. It was presented with an update of the implementation plan currently underway to ensure that all National Member Federations are ready for November 2017, when the new calendar comes into effect.
Following the decision to have the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 played in China, the Board approved the change of one host city, with Shanghai taking the place of Suzhou, subject to the positive result of an evaluation visit scheduled for April. Mr Burton Shipley, FIBA Executive Committee Member and FIBA Oceania President, was appointed Chairman of the Coordination Commission for the 2019 edition of FIBA’s flagship competition, following his successful work as Chair of the Evaluation Commission for the same event.
The bidding process to select the host(s) of the 2023 edition of FIBA’s flagship event was discussed. The possibility of having bids consisting of multiple host countries – along with single-host country bidders – was approved. FIBA will send out a circular letter to all its National Member Federations this summer to launch the bidding process. It will conclude in June 2017, when final bid presentations are to be selected and the choice of the host(s) made.