FIBA 3X3. Chooks-To-Go president Ronald Mascariñas and FIBA 3x3 head for events and partnerships Ignacio Soriano answer the questions in a press conference in Pasig City on Monday (Feb. 17, 2020). Soriano announced that the FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament will push through next month in India despite coronavirus disease scare. (PNA photo by Ivan Saldajeno)
MANILA -- The FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) will push through in India next month, an official of FIBA 3x3 announced on Monday.
Ignacio Soriano, head for events and partnerships of FIBA 3x3, said the event that will take place in Bengaluru, India will continue despite the threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak.
“For now, the first reaction is to keep the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in India as it is," Soriano said.
Soriano is in the Philippines to inspect the SM Megamall Mega Fashion Hall in Mandaluyong, the site of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Manila Masters from May 2 to 3 this year.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is set to name the final Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 lineup to the OQT later on Monday.
As of posting, India has three confirmed cases of Covid-19, the recent of which being a local from Kerala who came from Wuhan, the city where Covid-19 was first observed.
Soriano said the Manila Masters, the second World Tour Masters of the year, will continue as scheduled in May even if the Philippines has also three confirmed Covid-19 cases.
"We don't have any reason why to have any alarm. As of today, the World Tour in Philippines is secured," he further said.
However, Soriano bared that FIBA is looking to relocate the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup, which is scheduled to be hosted by Changsha, capital of central China’s Hunan province.
While Changsha is far from Wuhan, the entire country of China has been heavily hit by postponements and cancellations of events due to Covid-19.
"We're working with different hosts," Soriano said. "As of now, nothing is official."
Chooks-To-Go president Ronald Mascariñas, whose company will be hosting the Manila Masters, expressed interest in having the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup to be relocated also at the SM Megamall Mega Fashion Hall.
"If you don't find any host, we can host that as well," Mascariñas, who was also present in the press conference held at Chooks-To-Go office in Pasig. (PNA)
