Phils bid for Fiba-Asia Hosting mulled in Tokyo
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 19 Sep 2012
Pangilinan.
MANILA (PNA) --The fate of the Philippines? bid to host the 2013 FIBA-Asia men?s championship will be known today in a meeting of the region?s regulating body for basketball at the Prince Shimagawa Hotel in Tokyo.
The five-man Philippine delegation to the crucial meeting made up of Samahang Basketbol Ng Pilipinas president Manny Pangilinan, SBP executive director Sonny Barrios, PBA commissioner Chito Salud, former Asian Basketball Confederation (forerunner of the now FIBA-Asia) secretary general Moying Martelino and PBA media bureau chief Willie Marcial left for Tokyo yesterday to make the pitch to the country?s intention to stage the tournament in Manila anew.
Should Pangilinan, MVP to the sports and business sectors, and company succeeds in bringing the World Championship qualifying tournament to this shore anew, it will mark the 40th years since the last time Manila played host to the biennial tourney in 1973.
The Philippines is also acknowledged as the birthplace of the ABC following its hosting of the inaugural tournament in 1960. Both the 1960 and 1973 staging were made the benchmark of the succeeding championships for their success in terms of both organization and tournament conduct.
Today?s FIBA-Asia executive board meeting coincides with the on-going FIBA-Asia Cup (formerly Stankovic Cup) which serves as qualifying tournament for next year?s men?s championship.
Barrios and Martelino will actually made presentation of the Philippines? capabilities to host events of such magnitude based not only on the country?s past experiences and on the existing facilities as the newly-built Mall of Asia Arena, acknowledged as world-class by no less than FIBA-Asia secretary general Hagop in his visit here last month.
The MOA Arena will serve as the games? main venue while the Philippine sports Commission-owned Ninoy Aquino Stadium inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex will be site of several games in the elimination round.
Pangilinan and company, on the eve of the group?s departure, expressed hope of convincing the FIBA-Asia board ?Good luck to all of us,? MVP told People?s Journal yesterday, saying his group is bringing with them proper documents and audio-visuals that will convince the board to award the country the hosting.
?We?re prepared. Matagal na naming pinag-ukulan ng pansin ito since Sir MVP instructed us to write FIBA-Asia of our interest to stage next year?s tournament,? Barrios said. ?I believe we are properly equipped.
Sir MVP himself had signified his personal interest by inviting Mr. Hagop here and the latter naman looked impressed, especially on the facilities offered by MOA Arena.?
Martelino said he will personally talked with several of his contemporaries in the FIBA-Asia board, who still remember their happy and unforgettable experience in Manila during the country?s hosting, not only of the men?s championships but the youth tournaments as well, which the Philippines also spearheaded.
?The present members of the board are young and new in the organization at baka hindi nila alam ang malaking kontribusyon ng Pilipinas sa growth ng basketball hindi lamang dito sa Asya but, likewise, in the world,? Martelino said.
The Philippine representation?s confidence to win the nod of the board was aptly put by commissioner Salud, who joined the group to show the PBA?s all-out support to the project.
?Very optimistic,? Salud told this writer by way of text message. ?I believe Manila, with all of our ardent and knowledgeable basketball aficionados, will be the perfect host.?
?Add the all-out logistical support and capability made available by Mr. Pangilinan?s group of companies, there is no doubt Manila will be the most appropriate host for the 2013 FIBA world qualifying tournament,? Salud said. ?They (participants) will experience the beauty of the Philippines and the warmth of the real basketball fans.?
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