PH well-equipped to host world caging–Fiba

YES, the Philippines can.

That was what International Basketball Federation (Fiba) secretary general Patrick Baumann declared after his team concluded a three-day inspection of venues to determine the capability of the country to host the 2019 World Cup.

“The [evaluation] commission has come to conclude that: Yes, they (Philippines) can,” Baumann said during yesterday’s press briefing on the progress of Manila’s hosting bid.

Manny V. Pangilinan, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas chair, was also present during the briefing together with SBP president Ricky Vargas and Fiba evaluation commission chair Lubomir Kotleba.

“In terms of the context under which Fiba wishes, they want a quantum leap in improvement (compared to the last editions of the World Cup),” Pangilinan said. “The previous event [in Spain] was well-staged, but they are seeking a significant step-up in 2019.”

Baumann had nothing but kind words for the country’s passion for basketball.

“I don’t see why the Philippines cannot win the bid. The capacity is here, the will is here, the motivation is here,” Baumann said. “Everyone has a contact with basketball, [this is] probably the only country in the world that has it.”

Baumann even went on to tell a funny side of the Filipino in watching the games.

“Everyone wants to be the referee, everyone wants to be the coach, and everyone has an opinion on everything,” he said with a smile.

“We are encouraged from what we heard,” Vargas told the Inquirer after the briefing “We’ll face many challenges and we have the capability to meet all these challenges.”

Baumann and Kotleba were joined by two other Fiba officials during their inspection. Among the venues they inspected were the 55,000-seat Philippine Arena in Bulacan, Smart Araneta Coliseum and several hotels.

“What should I say? Puso!” Kotleba said when asked to give his assessment of the things he saw in the country in his brief stay. “The puso is not only in the arena, it’s everywhere [in the country].”

All bids must be submitted by the end of the April with the Fiba board to decide on the winner in June.

Among the other countries rumored to be interested in hosting are China, Turkey, Germany and France.