Basketball crazy country, the Philippines will host the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, one of the three host nation in the world basketball event which will be staged this coming July 5-11, 2016. The awarding of the Philippines as host of the Olympic Qualifier is considered as a consolation for the country after we missed out on our bid to host the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
The Philippine hosting of the 2016 Rio Olympics qualifiers will boost the campaign of Gilas Pilipinas to earned a spot in the 2016 Rio Olympics after failing to secure an automatic slot when it lost to China in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.
China was considered as the main culprit of the Philippines dream of hosting the FIBA World Cup event and the automatic Olympic slot for 2016. The Chinese outbid the Philippines in FIBA World Cup hosting and defeated the nationals during the finals of the FIBA Asia.
Aside from the Philippines the other two countries who will hosting for the Olympic Qualifiers are Serbia and Italy. The groupings of the FIBA Olympic Qualifier will be determined on January 26, 2016 after a draw conducted by FIBA. The winner of the three qualifying tournament will secure the last three final slot in the Olympic basketball competition.
