10 February 2007
RWANDA : Rwanda tipped for CAN action
Despite a second spot finish in the All Africa Games qualifiers/Zone V Basketball Championships, Rwanda could participate in the African Cup of Nations (CAN) basketball competitions scheduled for 2008 in Angola.
According to the International Basketball Federation (Fiba), the winner in each category (men and women) automatically qualifies for both the All Africa Games as well as CAN.
With Egypt already destined to take part in the competition, after going through the entire tournament unbeaten, Fiba has given room to the event’s runners’ up to be part of the action.
Victory for the home team against Burundi today will guarantee her participation in the CAN.
According to Ferwaba officials, the decision came basing onto two factors.
Sources said that Fiba considered that Zone V had the biggest number of member countries compared to other zones on the continent, as well as the encouraging high standard of the game at the Kigali competition, which concludes this morning at Amahoro Petit sade.
“Fiba looked at the number of countries who turned up for the competition as well as the strength of the competition itself.
A Fiba official said that Rwanda’s chances of taking part in the continental championship were high.
“We are impressed with the level of the game in the country, organisation, and we shall make Fiba aware in our report,” said Jose Farrete, one of the Fiba officials who have been commissioning the tournament.
According to Fiba, the continental event will attract sixteen countries; Angola, Algeria, Senegal, Nigeria, Morocco, Mali and Central African Republic (RAC) who finished in the top seven spots during the last CAN championship, seven countries who will have topped their respective zones.
BY JULIUS MBARAGA
According to the International Basketball Federation (Fiba), the winner in each category (men and women) automatically qualifies for both the All Africa Games as well as CAN.
With Egypt already destined to take part in the competition, after going through the entire tournament unbeaten, Fiba has given room to the event’s runners’ up to be part of the action.
Victory for the home team against Burundi today will guarantee her participation in the CAN.
According to Ferwaba officials, the decision came basing onto two factors.
Sources said that Fiba considered that Zone V had the biggest number of member countries compared to other zones on the continent, as well as the encouraging high standard of the game at the Kigali competition, which concludes this morning at Amahoro Petit sade.
“Fiba looked at the number of countries who turned up for the competition as well as the strength of the competition itself.
A Fiba official said that Rwanda’s chances of taking part in the continental championship were high.
“We are impressed with the level of the game in the country, organisation, and we shall make Fiba aware in our report,” said Jose Farrete, one of the Fiba officials who have been commissioning the tournament.
According to Fiba, the continental event will attract sixteen countries; Angola, Algeria, Senegal, Nigeria, Morocco, Mali and Central African Republic (RAC) who finished in the top seven spots during the last CAN championship, seven countries who will have topped their respective zones.
BY JULIUS MBARAGA
# posted by afrbk : 11:59
