TOKYO — Japanese basketball will be represented in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after world basketball governing body FIBA decided to grant it automatic places in various events.
In a release shared to members of global media, FIBA said its Central Board, in its meeting in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, had moved to grant Japan’s men’s and women’s national teams automatic places to compete in the Olympic Basketball and 3×3 Basketball Tournaments.
The decision was arrived at, FIBA said, after the board found the Japanese Basketball Association’s (JBA) application having met various sporting requirements needed to get the FIBA nod.
Among the reasons cited were continuous stream of positive developments in Japan’s basketball landscape in recent years, including the on-court success of the men’s and women’s senior national teams, the revamp of the B. League (the national top-flight men’s competition), and making history by being part of the first-ever successful multiple countries bid — together with Philippines and Indonesia — to be awarded the hosting rights for a FIBA Basketball World Cup for the 2023 edition.
For 3×3 Basketball, meanwhile, FIBA said host nation Japan will be represented by both men’s and women’s teams subject to approval by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
FIBA’s urban discipline, 3×3 Basketball is set to make its historic debut as part of basketball’s Olympic program in next year’s edition of the Games. Japan’s has been creating waves in 3×3 Basketball with its men’s and women’s teams ranked inside the top 10.
The country, too, has been hosting a World Tour event for seven years and this year will host the World Tour Final in November in Utsunomiya. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
