FIBA Olympic Tournament Draw Postponed
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Men’s & Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournament draw for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, FIBA announced.
The draw was scheduled to take place on March 20, but it will now be in limbo until the outbreak is under control.
This delay will affect not only the organization of the group stage but also the scheduling of pre-Olympic exhibitions (friendlies) and the choice of venue for each of the games scheduled.
Three weeks ago the International Olympic Committee (IOC), spearheaded by its longest-serving member, Dick Pound, noted there could be a potential postponement or cancellation of the lauded event due to this pandemic.
The IOC gave a two-to-three-month window to gain clarity on the matter, considering events were scheduled to start at the end of July — putting late May as the latest time for discussion.
Tokyo is still planning for the event as usual, now that some Asian countries have managed to contain the outbreak lately, and many expect things to go back to normal in the coming months as the virus runs its course.
Iran’s men’s basketball team has qualified for the competition after 12 years.