As you know, Georgian basketball national team has qualified for the European championship in Lithuania. We introduce you an interview with Georgian Basketball Federation president Besik Liparteliani who presently is in Turkey, Istanbul.
-I could not imagine that FIBA Europe will give out verdict about increasing the number of teams so that our national team would participate in the European Championship however we have started working on this question from the moment we have arrived in Turkey.
-When did you realize that it is very possible for Georgia to be a part of the European Championship?
-When the headquarters of FIBA Europe told us that the final decision should be made by the representatives of Lithuania. Upon this statement, our hope of the positive verdict increased. We have spoken to the other teams’ federation representatives such as are Italy’s basketball federation president Dino Menegins and the head of Ukrainian basketball Alexander Volkov. They, certainly, liked out initiative and back us up. We met Lithuanian representatives, who informed us about the positive verdict for which we are very thankful.
-Did it take a long time for deciding a final verdict?
-We thought that everything is going to be decided in one hour however France, Spain and Greece appeared to be against the new initiative so that is why procedure lasted for five hours before the positive final verdict was announced. There was another alternative plan which was consisted of increasing the number of teams only up to 20. This was alright with us, since our team was the best among those who did not manage to qualify directly for the tournament.
-How the system of the competition will be changed?
-It is unknown what the format of 2011 European Basketball Championship will be. FIBA Europe is working on this issue and it will be resolved in the end of this year. Afterwards, group stage draw will be held so opponents will be known in January.
-Matches of the European Basketball Championship require a huge responsibility and appropriate preparation…
-Georgian ministry of Sport is very happy of the fact that our team is through to the European Championship and will do everything in order to provide necessary needs for the team. National team should be well prepared for the tournament. Where and against which teams Georgia will have test matches will be known upon the draw of the preliminary round of the tournament, which will be held in January. One fact that is already known is that Tbilisi will host another international tournament in upcoming August, similar to that was held in August of this year.
