Rio de Janeiro is competing to host yet another international sporting event. The president of the Brazilian Basketball Federation, Gerasime Bozikis, and Rio's special secretary to the candidacy for the 2016 Olympic Games, Ruy César, met Thursday, September 6, to discuss the possibility of Rio de Janeiro hosting the World Pre-Olympic Men's Basketball Tournament. Ruy César assured in an interview to "O Globo" newspaper that the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Cesar Maia, backs Rio's proposal in hosting the basketball competition. Matches would take place in the Multipurpose Arena, home to the basketball tournament during the Pan American Games. "After the Pan American Games, any Rio candidacy is very strong.
The city has a new high-quality arena", the secretary states. The date and place of the tournament, which will qualify three national teams for the Beijing Olympic Games, will be set this year by the International Basketball Federation. The competition is forecast to take place shortly before the Olympic Games, which will start on August 8, 2008. In addition to Brazil, the other competing countries will be Puerto Rico, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Lebanon and four national teams ranking third to sixth in the European Pre-Olympic Tournament.
The city has a new high-quality arena", the secretary states. The date and place of the tournament, which will qualify three national teams for the Beijing Olympic Games, will be set this year by the International Basketball Federation. The competition is forecast to take place shortly before the Olympic Games, which will start on August 8, 2008. In addition to Brazil, the other competing countries will be Puerto Rico, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Lebanon and four national teams ranking third to sixth in the European Pre-Olympic Tournament.
