By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Following multiple adjustments to the venues for the basketball tournament of the 2024 Olympic Games, FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis was critical of the current plan during a meeting of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) Wednesday.
“We would like to express our concern for the basketball tournament of the Paris Games. Basketball has been displaying tremendous flexibility to help the city,” mentioned Zagklis, “I don’t think any other colleague here has witnessed three different combinations of venues for his sport. We are now in the process to determine the fourth combination with only two years left before the Olympic Games.”
Dropping the original plan of preliminary round fixtures of the Paris Olympics at the facilities in Porte de Versailles (Arena Paris Sud), home of the annual Paris International Agricultural Show, was the aftermath of the reaction of several members of the French national team. Later considerations project a three-hour journey outside the French capital for the players.
“We don’t feel that our athletes should be subject to the conditions we currently have on the table,” described Zagklis. “I am referring to the fact that the tournament must be held in Paris, in the Olympic Village, with a maximum transit of one hour, not three, and the venues must provide necessary safety conditions, air-condition and also allow athletes to recover from the games and have timely meals.”
“We want to help and of course boost the ticket income, but we feel some basic conditions for our players like in all previous Olympics should be respected since the players’ experience is itself in the core of the Games,” he added, “We believe our concerns are fair and that we can work together to reduce the players’ serious concerns about their participation in the Paris Olympics.”
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL