By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The sixteen best 2019 FIBA World Cup teams aside those punching a direct ticket to the 2020 Olympic Games plus the two top-placed teams in the FIBA rankings of the four continental zones not already advancing will participate in the Olympic qualifiers and battle for the four remaining Olympic berths. The tournaments will be hosted by four countries and Lithuania wants to be among them, 24sek’s Donatas Urbonas reports.
The latest report on the Olympic qualifiers includes the president of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation, Arvydas Sabonis. The retired player notes that FIBA asks for 2.3 million euros for the bid and estimates that overall costs will be around 3 million.
Greece is also ready to be among the federations interested in hosting one of the four tournaments that will apply within the next couple of months. The governing body for basketball is expected to announce the winning bids by March.
Beside Greece and Lithuania, the other nationals teams that already punched an Olympic qualifier ticket are Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey and Venezuela.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL