2006 World Championships - Qualified Teams & Invitations

[Manu'sMagicalLeftHand]

Qualified Teams:

Americas:
Argentina
Brazil
Venezuela
USA
Panama

Africa:
Angola
Senegal
Nigeria

Asia:
China
Lebanon
Qatar
Japan

Oceania:
Australia
New Zealand

Europe:
Greece
Germany
France
Spain
Lithuania
Slovenia

+4 invitations from FIBA.

Some teams that failed to qualify and could get any of those wild cards:

Serbia & Montenegro
Puerto Rico
Croatia
Russia
Israel
Italy
Turkey
Canada

Who do you think should be invited out of those? Is any other team missing from that list? Who will be invited by FIBA?

This new structure in the the compe ion (From 16 to 24 teams) looks good on paper, many good teams, with a lot of possible interesting games even in the early stages. In my opinion, Serbia, Puerto Rico, Italy, and Croatia or Canada should get those invitations.

[Solid D]

Croatia needs to be invited by FIBA as a wildcard team. They deserve to be there since they got a bad deal on the officiating vs. Spain plus the injuries to Planinic and Kasun.

[Manu'sMagicalLeftHand]

Croatia needs to be invited by FIBA as a wildcard team. They deserve to be there since they got a bad deal on the officiating vs. Spain plus the injuries to Planinic and Kasun.

Probably yes. I forgot to say, I'm against this invitation system, it looks like "Doesn't matter if you don't qualify as long as you are a big team in international basketball". All the qualifying spots should be decided in the court, not in the offices.

[angel_luv]

Probably yes. I forgot to say, I'm against this invitation system, it looks like "Doesn't matter if you don't qualify as long as you are a big team in international basketball". All the qualifying spots should be decided in the court, not in the offices.

I agree with that.

I don't understand the method to that madness.

[timvp]

So you are telling me that the US could have not qualified and been picked as a wild card? Then why were people in the media freaking out over exhibition losses to Brazil?

Stupid.

[velik_m]

I agree with that.

I don't understand the method to that madness.

failsafe mechanism in case USA doesn't qualify.

[Kobayagi]

Then why were people in the media freaking out over exhibition losses to Brazil.

Because it's a disgrace if the US team loses to ANYONE.


Europe gets only two wild cards. I think Serbia & Montenegro and Italy are going to get them.

[velik_m]

Europe gets only two wild cards. I think Serbia & Montenegro and Italy are going to get them.

My guess would be S&M and Russia...

[NZHayden]

i thought s&m were the defending champs? who's hosting the WC?

[ata]

Japan!

[Thomy]

when will we know who gets the wild cards

[Manu'sMagicalLeftHand]

i thought s&m were the defending champs? who's hosting the WC?

The World Championships winner gets automatic qualification for the Olympics. Since Serbia won the 2002 WC, they qualified for the 2004 Olympics. The 2004 Olympics winner, Argentina got automatic qualification for the 2006 World Championships.

Basically it works this way:
WC Winner: Qualified for Olympics (2 years after)
Olympics winner: Qualified for World Championships (2 years after)

So you are telling me that the US could have not qualified and been picked as a wild card? Then why were people in the media freaking out over exhibition losses to Brazil?

Stupid.

Well, appart from the current criticism and bashing from some writers to Team USA (some justified, some not), one of the articles I've read being critic towards the team was quite uninformed about how international basketball works (Someone posted it here, I'm not sure in which thread.). The writer was freaking out about some loss against Venezuela, but he didn't even know how the qualifying system worked. USA sent a team with only one player in an NBA roster (Charlie Bell), and I believe it has been proved that international basketball has grown and that is not enough to win the compe ion, but those players got the target their were chosen for, that is qualification.

when will we know who gets the wild cards

From FIBA's website:
After those 20 teams are determined, FIBA will have the difficult task to decide on the 4 remaining spots, which will be assigned as "wild cards". The FIBA Central Board which will meet on 26/27 November this year in Rome, Italy, will make the decision according to the following criteria:

In order to be invited the team must have participated in the FIBA Zone Qualifying Championship
There can be a maximum of three teams from any one FIBA Zone

Together with the above two criteria, FIBA shall take into consideration the following aspects:

Sporting Aspects
- Popularity of basketball in the country
- Quality and sporting results of the national team of the country
- Quality of work of National Federation

Economic Aspects
- Involvement of local television and/or compe ions in domestic and international basketball
- Importance of country to FIBA's marketing and television partners
- Importance of country to the Organizers of the World Championship

With all the 24 teams decided the group drawing to decide the preliminary round match-ups will take place in January 2006 in Japan.

Yeah, that sounds as awful as it did the first time you've read it. Try again, it stills makes only one sense: "To with sport merit, show me the $$$"

[NZHayden]

cool thanks left hand

[drivanroca]

Yeah, that sounds as awful as it did the first time you've read it. Try again, it stills makes only one sense: "To with sport merit, show me the $$$"

[Kobayagi]

The FIBA Central Board which will meet on 26/27 November this year in Rome, Italy, will make the decision

Anyone wanna bet they wouldn't dare not give Italy one of those invitations?

[Manu'sMagicalLeftHand]

Anyone wanna bet they wouldn't dare not give Italy one of those invitations?

Hehehe, haven't noticed that one. I can imagine the possible scenario:

FIBA: "Well, we'd like to anounce that Serbia, Puerto Rico, Croatia and..."
(Sound of guns being loaded)
Italian Basketball Asociation guy: "I'm gonna make you an offer you can't refuse"
FIBA: "...and the lovely and powerful nation of Italy will be the 4 teams going into the World Championships"

[Kobayagi]

I don't expect Europe to get 3 of them. Rumours here say that Europe will most likely get two of them. I guess noone suspected the hosts of Eurobasket 2005 would fail to qualify.

I think Italy has it guaranteed. From the sporting aspect, I'd say Serbia, from the economic aspect, I'd have to go with Russia. Croatia...I don't think they stand a chance of getting one.

This would make an interesting vBookie. Kori, what say you?

[WalterBenitez]

Italy = 2nd Olimpycs
Russia = History
Israel = Euro League club's history
S&M = History, and plz put them in ARG's group!!!

[kolko]

Italy = 2nd Olimpycs
Russia = History
Israel = Euro League club's history
S&M = History, and plz put them in ARG's group!!!

They can't invite four teams from the same continent. Max of 3.

[Slomo]

I think they'll invite Italy = host
and
SCG = defending champs

[dunkman]

Serbia-Montenegro must be there as the defending back-to-back champions. Obviously, we will play with Argentina a win or die game and defeat them spectacularly once again.

The other from Europe could be Italy or Russia. From the rest of the world it could be Canada and Puerto Rico.

[angel_luv]

Serbia-Montenegro must be there as the defeninding back-to-back champions. Obviously, we will play with Argentina a win or die game and defeat them spectacularly once again.

The other from Europe could be Italy or Russia. From the rest of the world it could be Canada and Puerto Rico.

Who is we?

[nkdlunch]

Serbia-Montenegro must be there as the defeninding back-to-back champions. Obviously, we will play with Argentina a win or die game and defeat them spectacularly once again.

spectacularly = help from refs?

[dunkman]

spectacularly = help from refs?

And you can speak about refs help... like fouling out Duncan quickly .

[angel_luv]

Who is we???