FIBA giving "hints" about wildcard selections

[Franz]

http://thepmnews.com/2009/10/26/nbbf-boss-meets-fiba-in-zunich

The President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Mr. Tijani Umar, was in Zurich, Switzerland, recently in pursuit of a wild ticket entry for Nigeria for the 2010 FIBA World Championship. The World Cup for men will hold in Turkey next year.

Umar explained on return to the country that he had a very useful discussion with FIBA World officials at the meeting in Zurich, adding that it was part of an earlier discussion he had with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) hierarchy in Africa after the African Nations Cup in Tripoli tagged: Libya 2009.

The Nigerian national team, D’Tigers, finished in fifth place at the championship and thus could not pick a straight ticket to the world event, with only the top two teams from the Africa qualifiers automatically qualifying for the World Championship. But to fill up the remaining four slots for Turkey 2010, FIBA is handing wild cards to four teams across the world with the potential to make some impact at the world stage.

“We have been talking since the situation became clear in Libya. They have reached out to us accordingly and the meeting is to further hold detailed talks and exchange notes on the issue of wild card for the championship. We pray it turns out very fruitful, because it will help us greatly to maintain the momentum we have gained in the quest to develop this game to higher levels,” Umar said.

Nigerians were confident, based on the assurances of the D’Tigers managers, for a direct ticket to the World Championship, but had to prayers for an indirect route to the European city after Nigeria surprisingly fell to Cameroon at the quarter final stage in Tripoli.

Russia, a former world champion who could not qualify from the Euro qualifiers is strongly viewed as the number one candidate for the wild card entries.

I'm just going to take a guess and say that Great Britain and Dominican Republic are being strongly considered right now.

It will get interesting between now and December.

[Billy Bounce]

Russia, a former world champion who could not qualify from the Euro qualifiers is strongly viewed as the number one candidate for the wild card entries.

There is a mistake here, I think. Russia isn't a former world champion , but a former European champion. Of course USSR NT won a couple of WCs, but Russia alone didn't.

[FIBA Europe Basket]

http://thepmnews.com/2009/10/26/nbbf...fiba-in-zunich



I'm just going to take a guess and say that Great Britain and Dominican Republic are being strongly considered right now.

It will get interesting between now and December.

Lithuania and Germany don't deserve places at all. Germany did not take it seriously at to qualify. Lithuania has not taken the World Championship seriously ever and they did not even take the EuroBasket seriously. I don't know about DR because they don't deserve it at all. But GB and Russia deserve it more because they took EuroBasket seriously.

[samer_1_2]

As far as I heard, Europe will take three spots.. spread all over Germany Lithuania and Russia.. fourth one between America/Africa/Asia

I think Germany doesn' t deserve it unless Novotsky comes back NT
Neither Lithuania even I like this country..

[HIGHLANDER]

I really hope the GB get it. I would love to see them compete in that.
But in Truth i am not sure if they deserve to be there as they only recently became a competitive team. (Although i believe they deserve their place at the London Olympics simply due to them being the home nation)
I don't know how they decide these wild card things.
Does it go by a point basis?
Or is it a bunch of suits sitting at a table and they just decide who they want.

[daniab]

Where did you see "hints" in this article?
Except "Russia" and "Lithuania" , many countries are fighting for the two wild cards including Lebanon,Dom Rep,Nigeria,Germany and Great Britain!

[Franz]

Where did you see "hints" in this article?
Except "Russia" and "Lithuania" , many countries are fighting for the two wild cards including Lebanon,Dom Rep,Nigeria,Germany and Great Britain!

They want teams who are capable of making an impact at WC. Though Lebanon deserves to be there, they're hardly a team that can do that.

I think the goal is to bring as many competitive teams as possible, while following the criteria.

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Also, in one of FIBA's recent articles, they mention that Italy was "eligible to bid for (one of the) wild cards according to the criteria".

http://turkey2010.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/10/fwc/men/v2/news/p/eid/4728/nid/34683/sid/4728/article.html

If that's the case and Italy doesn't have to pay, then expect them to be in the running for a wildcard.

[rtk04]

They want teams who are capable of making an impact at WC. Though Lebanon deserves to be there, they're hardly a team that can do that.

I think the goal is to bring as many competitive teams as possible, while following the criteria.

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.

saying that nigeria or dominican republic can make an impact on the world stage more than lebanon....is just a speculation....
all we want is for FIBA to follow and respect the criteria....nothing more

[Wu-Tang]

^

If FIBA wants quality instead of other criteria then Russian and Italy in their full competitive roosters should not be doubtful for this second-chance opportunity of entering the WC.

As for the other two spots, i believe the potential candidates are more or less even in terms of strenght. Possibly that Germany has a slight advantage over the rest with both Nowitzki and Kaman eligible for play.

In any case, GB ought to fall out of FIBA's scanner in this regard.

[Gytaz]

I don't know how they decide these wild card things.
Does it go by a point basis?
Or is it a bunch of suits sitting at a table and they just decide who they want.

First of all , countries have to pay for their wild cards. So I guess FIBA gives wild cards to the best basketball nations, who are willing to pay.

Where did you see "hints" in this article?
Except "Russia" and "Lithuania" , many countries are fighting for the two wild cards including Lebanon,Dom Rep,Nigeria,Germany and Great Britain!

Lithuania is definitely not guaranteed to get a wild card. Mainly because of the money issues.

[WIZARD]

WTF now those wild cards can be bought?? damn it if our jordanian fed knew that it will end up this way they would have not spent a cent on our NT (something around 2 million $) and would just bought 1 card at the end loool

[offthedribble]

Seriously? I never knew that, i thought the wildcards were awarded to teams that were decided upon a committee at FIBA to see who deserves it the most. Too bad for the teams that are coming from developing countries, they might not have as good a chance to get the wildcard than those from the west.

[Franz]

^^^ I still want a link suggesting this.

[Gytaz]

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/10/fwc/men/v1/pres/wildCard/p/openNodeIDs/8962/selNodeID/8962/index.html

hmm, when did they add this "Late Registration Fee" to their official criteria list? Seriously, I think it wasn't there a couple of weeks ago. Or am I wrong?

[Mojado]

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/10/...962/index.html

hmm, when did they add this "Late Registration Fee" to their official criteria list? Seriously, I think it wasn't there a couple of weeks ago. Or am I wrong?

Yep, I think they added that last part recently... Remember, the World Champs are business. If you can't qualify, you can buy yourself in for a second chance in December.Then the board is going to decide if you wasted the money for your application or not.

@Wu-Tang: Stop brining Italy every time up, they are officially out of the race.

To me, it looks like this right now: Russia, Lithuania (somehow they will be bringing up the money, even if they are complaing about it), Germany and Lebanon.