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Hong Kong Referee Edmond Ho at the Fiba 3X3 World Tour Hong Kong Masters 2023, at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay. Photo: Jonathan Wong
SportBasketball

Basketball chiefs praise Hong Kong as place to hold ‘world-class events’, confirm city will host Olympic qualifier

  • World governing body Fiba confirms city has been chosen to stage 3x3 tournament in April
  • Replacement venue needed for first Paris Olympics qualifier after officials decide holding event in Israel ‘impossible’
FIBA (International Basketball Federation)
Mike Chan
Mike Chan
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Basketball’s world governing body has praised Hong Kong for its ability to host “world-class events” and confirmed the first of 3x3 Olympic qualifying tournaments would be held in the city in April.

Hong Kong first signed a letter of intent with the governing body in November 2022 before backing out eight months later citing fears it would lose money with officials quoting a reported cost of US$2.55 million (HK$20 million).
Earlier this week, the Post reported that M1 Group, which organised the Fiba 3x3 Hong Kong Masters last month, would be running the event at a “discounted” price.

Fiba said they had to find a new host to replace Israel, which was initially picked to host April’s tournament, after the country’s invasion of Gaza made staging it there “impossible”.

Hong Kong was one of “several candidates” considered as a new location, with Fiba spokesman saying sports infrastructure, and logistics were among the criteria venues had been judged on.

“The selection of Hong Kong reflects our confidence in their ability to deliver a world-class event,” he said.

After Hong Kong, where the winners of the men’s and women’s competitions will qualify for the Paris Olympics in July, a second event will be held in Utsunomiya, Japan, in early May, with teams having a final chance to make the Games at a tournament in Debrecen, Hungary later that same month.

Altogether 16 teams will battle it out for gold in the French capital at Place de la Concorde from July 30 to August 5. China and the United States have already secured a spot for both their men’s and women’s teams, while Serbia’s men and France’s women have also qualified.

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