Are Australia and New Zealand already qualified?

[Dtown]

Was going through the archives of the last world championships, and I noticed the Oceania gets 2 bids. Is this policy going to followed again for 2010? Not that Australia hasn't proven itself on the world stage but that's kind of crazy.

[donmar]

Thats what I notice... during the Olympics only one spot available and the other one have to play in the wild card tourney to make it through... while in the World Championships, I think either way, both teams will make it regardless of the Oceania Championship results... I dunno why its like that...

[alermac]

I think it's because both NTs have proved to be worthy of entering the World Championships, and since there is no "second-chance" available, it's better to send both teams that leave a decent team behind.

[Lietuvis]

I think it's because both NTs have proved to be worthy of entering the World Championships, and since there is no "second-chance" available, it's better to send both teams that leave a decent team behind.

Define worthy. I know there are many teams "worthy" of playing in the Olympics or World Championships that dont make it each time and also much stronger than Australia and New Zealand, but dont make it because there are much stronger teams in their qualification groups. I am sure people on this forum can easily name them.

Secondly this is the biggest farce of all qualification tournaments as I have expressed this before. Why do teams in Europe (I am sure other regions as well) have to go through gruelling qualification campaigns whilst these 2 teams get a free ride? Australia and NZ are so well ranked on the FIBA rankings because of this free ride as they get points simply competing.

Australia and New Zealand should be part of the Asian qualification group and not their own called Oceania as this region really does not exist on a basketball world stage. If they have to play other small islands (Fiji, Tonga) in their region for qualification they still would send a C team to do that job and win by 50 pts.

FIBA this is ridiculous and you need to do something about this, my vote is you consolidate this group with the Asian region similiar to what is done with FIFA and make them earn a spot to play amongst the best.

[donmar]

I agree... I think the qualification for the Olympics and World Championship should be the same in the Oceania region... and its quite unfair for the other regions, especially Europe, when in Oceania the only two teams playing qualified right away regardless who's winning or not...

[Dtown]

I believe there are still ongoing talks to consolidate Oceania and Asia for 2011 qualification for the Olympics. Really this should be the number one reason why. Also I'm wondering will Australia and New Zealand still have their competition even though they're both in?

[alermac]

Also I'm wondering will Australia and New Zealand still have their competition even though they're both in?

Boredom?

Define worthy. I know there are many teams "worthy" of playing in the Olympics or World Championships that dont make it each time and also much stronger than Australia and New Zealand, but dont make it because there are much stronger teams in their qualification groups. I am sure people on this forum can easily name them.

Sure. But Oceanians are still more competitive than some Asian, American or African NTs that make it to the Worlds.

Australia and NZ are so well ranked on the FIBA rankings because of this free ride as they get points simply competing.

Don't forget NZ reached semifinals in Indianapolis 2002, weirdly but it still happened.

Australia and New Zealand should be part of the Asian qualification group and not their own called Oceania as this region really does not exist on a basketball world stage. If they have to play other small islands (Fiji, Tonga) in their region for qualification they still would send a C team to do that job and win by 50 pts.

That's a good idea, especially if somehow Oceania could send the best of its "non existant" NTs into the Asian Championship.

[donmar]

I believe there are still ongoing talks to consolidate Oceania and Asia for 2011 qualification for the Olympics. Really this should be the number one reason why. Also I'm wondering will Australia and New Zealand still have their competition even though they're both in?

They still have their competition because its a tradition... New Zealand and Australia have this traditional rivalry in all codes and levels of sports... basketball, rugby union, rugby league, soccer, cricket, netball, etc...

Also, if the Oceania Championship did not took place then they're not eligible to play in the World Championships... because there's no champion and runner-up in the Oceania region... even though they're guaranteed, they must play the championship... and its a three-game format between them....

Please note that in World Championship both teams qualified but in the Olympic Games, only one team qualify...

[Saskibaloia]

They still have their competition because its a tradition... New Zealand and Australia have this traditional rivalry in all codes and levels of sports... basketball, rugby union, rugby league, soccer, cricket, netball, etc...

That's right we looooove beating our brothers from the other side of the Tasman not only in sports but in EVERYTHING that we do! lol ... just like Argentina & my beloved Uruguay it's a love-hate relationship

In Australia, the best jokes are normally the jokes about our Trans Tasman brothers. We love to tease them in every single way but then you ask any Aussie who's overseas: who is the closest "mate" and they'll say the Kiwis.

When I lived in Uruguay the Aussies & Kiwis would do a lot of celebration such as Anzac Day etc or we would support each other in sporting events when we're overseas e.g. the 4 "Australians" who showed up in the green & gold gear during the 2001 FIFA World Cup Playoffs between Australia and Uruguay for a place in the 2002 World Cup were actually Kiwis and not Aussies.

Long live our Aussie/ Kiwi tradition!

[mvblair]

That's right we looooove beating our brothers from the other side of the Tasman not only in sports but in EVERYTHING that we do! lol ... just like Argentina & my beloved Uruguay it's a love-hate relationship

In Australia, the best jokes are normally the jokes about our Trans Tasman brothers. We love to tease them in every single way but then you ask any Aussie who's overseas: who is the closest "mate" and they'll say the Kiwis.

That's nice. The two countries are very close culturally, although they have major differences in aboriginal cultures.

Personally, I'd like to the Asian region changed to two parts, with Australia and New Zealand perhaps joining a Southeast Asia region.

[donmar]

That's right we looooove beating our brothers from the other side of the Tasman not only in sports but in EVERYTHING that we do! lol ... just like Argentina & my beloved Uruguay it's a love-hate relationship

In Australia, the best jokes are normally the jokes about our Trans Tasman brothers. We love to tease them in every single way but then you ask any Aussie who's overseas: who is the closest "mate" and they'll say the Kiwis.

When I lived in Uruguay the Aussies & Kiwis would do a lot of celebration such as Anzac Day etc or we would support each other in sporting events when we're overseas e.g. the 4 "Australians" who showed up in the green & gold gear during the 2001 FIFA World Cup Playoffs between Australia and Uruguay for a place in the 2002 World Cup were actually Kiwis and not Aussies.

Long live our Aussie/ Kiwi tradition!

Long Live the ANZAC Spirit!