GENEVA – It’s Decision-Day in the FIBA House of Basketball as the FIBA Central Board cast its vote between the two finalists to host the 2023 FIBA World Cup this morning here (8 p.m. Manila time).
The finalists are the Philippine-led consortium with Japan and Indonesia and the two-country bid of Argentina and Uruguay.
They will make their final pitch before the FIBA Central Board with the consortium scheduled to deliver its remarks at 10:30 a.m.
The other bidder will be called in next for its 20-minute presentation. Then the Central Board will take a break and by 1 p.m. (8 p.m., Manila time), the decision will be announced.
Speakers from the three countries will be led by SBP Chairman Emeritus Manuel V Pangilinan. After a 10-minute question-and-answer portion, Pangilinan will return to the stage for his final remarks.
Argentina and Uruguay will make their presentation before noontime.
No live streaming will be available. Presentations may be made in English or Spanish with FIBA providing simultaneous translations.
SBP Executive Director Sonny Barrios said the consortium’s bid has three central principles – simplicity, diversity and intensity.
“The bid from the consortium offers FIBA an exciting opportunity to bring the sport’s pinnacle event to the fastest growing region in the world where our combined population of over 500 million is ready to embrace the sport of basketball, where we will work with FIBA to realize the sport’s vision to make basketball the most popular sports community…to have more people playing in more places, more often,” he said.
Pangilinan said he’s not interested in bidding for the 2027 edition.
So this is make or break.
“Here’s praying our country gets it,” he said. “It’s the single priceless legacy I could leave Philippine basketball.
The country also made a bid for the 2019 World Cup but it lost to China by a vote of 14-7 despite the pitch of Manny Pacquiao.
Under the joint hosting, the three nations will stage the preliminary rounds of the World Cup, but in the knockout playoffs until the finals game, the Philippines will be the main host.
Pangilinan heads the SBP contingent that will make a final push for the country’s hosting bid together with SBP chief Al Panlilio and – representing the government – Deputy Speaker Rep. Pia Cayetano.
Representatives from Indonesia and Japan are also expected to deliver their messages, including Erick Thohir and Yuko Mitsuya, both members of the FIBA Central Board.
“Let’s see… let’s keep our fingers crossed,” said Panlilio.
The first and only time the country had the privilege to host the event was during the 1978 edition of the FIBA World Championships with the Rizal Memorial Stadium and Araneta Coliseum as venues.