FIBA Asia Championship

Infobox sports league
logo=
pixels=
sport=Basketball
founded=1960
teams=16
continent=Asia (FIBA Asia)
champion=bk|IRI:"For the women's tournament, see FIBA Asia Championship for Women."The FIBA Asia Championship for Men (formerly Asian Basketball Confederation Championship) is a tournament which takes place every two years between teams of the continent. This is the Asian qualifying tournament for the FIBA World Championship and the Olympic basketball tournament. The tournament is also known as the Asian Championships

History

The Asian Basketball Confederation Championship was inaugurated at Manila on 1960. The championship was held to find Asia's best team and for qualification for the World Championship and the Olympics. On the next four tournaments, the Philippines won 3 with the Japanese beating the Filipinos on 1965. Korea, Japan and the Philippines split the next 3 championships until China debuted on 1975 at Bangkok with the championship, where they've dominated ever since.

There were only 3 instances where China didn't win the championship since then: at 1986 when the Philippines won with the presence of 2 naturalized Americans, at 1997, when the Chinese complained at Riyadh's climate, and at 2007, when the Chinese sent their "B team" since they've already qualified for the Olympics by virtue of their hosting.

Korea had been the perennial runner-ups, with Japan and DPR Korea sneaking in. The Philippines had become weaker due to its players being professionals (therefore ineligible for FIBA participation until 1989), and due to the politicization of basketball in that country. By the 21st century, the tournament has since been renamed into the FIBA Asia Championship. During the 2007 Championship, West Asian teams were able to compete with the traditional East Asian powers, as evidenced of an all-West Asian final when Iran defeated Lebanon. It is to be noted that the Chinese send their "B team" to the Asian Championships (the "A team" was focused on warm-ups for the then up-coming Beijing Olympics to be hosted in China.) The 2009 FIBA Asia Championship will be held from September 1 to September 9, 2009. Philippines is bidding as next host for the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship . [ [http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/sports/view_article.php?article_id=79861 ‘Like Chot, everyone’s bleeding,’ says Pangilinan] ]

Qualification

The top 5 finishers of the previous championship and the host country qualify automatically; the other 10 teams are filled up with qualifying tournaments in each of FIBA Asia's 5 subzones, with each subzone sending at least 2 teams.

Results

ummaries

Results highlighted in blue are Olympic qualifiers, those which aren't are World Championship qualifiers.

Participating nations

Countries not able to qualify

*bk|Afghanistan
*bk|Bhutan
*bk|Brunei
*bk|Cambodia
*bk|Laos
*bk|Maldives
*bk|Mongoliacol-2
*bk|Myanmar
*bk|Nepal
*bk|Oman
*bk|Palestine (qualified at the FIBA Africa Championship)
*bk|Tajikistan
*bk|Turkmenistan
*bk|Yemencol-end

ee also

*FIBA Asia Championship for Women
*FIBA Asia Under-20 Championship
*FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship
*FIBA Asia Under-16 Championship
*Basketball at the Asian Games
*Basketball at the Southeast Asian Games
*Southeast Asia Basketball Association

Footnotes

External links

* [http://fibaasia.net FIBA-Asia Official Site]