The Philippines will be the host of the 27th FIBA Asia Championship according to a news release confirmed by the FIBA Asia through their official website. The FIBA Asia Executive Committee granted the hosting rights for the Philippines after Lebanon was affected by the current situation in West Asia.
The FIBA Asia is scheduled to take place this coming August 1 to 11, 2013 in Manila, Philippines. The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the official governing body of basketball in the Philippines recognized by FIBA welcome and acknowledged the staging of the event.
Here’s the official announcement from FIBA:
“Unfortunately, the current situation in the region and the on-going civil war in Syria, which has its indirect effect on the countries in the whole of West Asia, especially on Lebanon, creates doubts about the stability that we might not have, at least, till the fixed dates of our event,” said FIBA Asia Secretary General Hagop Khajirian explaining the decision.
The Philippines will host the 27th FIBA Asia Championships, which will serve as the qualifying event for the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain. It will be the second time that the Philippines will be hosting the event. The first time that the Philippines hosted the event in Manila was way back the 1973 edition of the FIBNA Asia Championship.
