PNGBF keen to host Fiba Under-15 Oceania Championships

THE Papua New Guinea Basketball Federation is keen to host the Fiba Under-15 Oceania Championship in Port Moresby in December despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
Federation executive officer Nick Daroa told The National last week that the tournament — scheduled for Dec 6-13 — would see the participation of eight Oceania countries, including PNG.
The visiting countries are Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Samoa, Fiji and Guam.
Daroa said the federation was in contact with Fiba Oceania, the sport’s regional governing body, to assess the pandemic.
“We have proposed to have meetings with Fiba Oceania office on the Gold Coast in Australia twice a month to assess the situation,” he said. “At this stage, the hosting of the tournament is still on target but it is subject to the Covid-19 situation.
“If the situation improves then it’ll help us stay on target to deliver the tournament. If it doesn’t improve then we might look at rescheduling it to next year.”
Daroa said the tournament was one of the biggest events in the national governing body’s calendar which needed good financial backing and ample time to deliver.
“The government, through the National Gaming Control Board and Kumul Consolidated Holdings, and Fiba Oceania have offered to help us with funding so we’ll rely on that to host the tournament,” he said.
“But we might face some financial difficulties with the Covid-19 situation already affecting every economy in the region.
“Teams that will fly in will also depend on their government.”