The international basketball technical delegate, Edgard Marín, visited Chile to inspect on-site the progress of the organization of his discipline before the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games. The venue hosting this popular discipline will be the multi-sport court 1 inside Parque Estadio Nacional inaugurated for the South American Games 2014.
Regarding the state of the infrastructure, the head of international competitions of FIBA Americas claimed that “it has all the facilities to host an event of this level, it is in good condition and only due to equipment matters we had not used it in recent events, which will be solved thanks to the work of the organizing committee.”
The stage, adjacent to Pedro de Valdivia Avenue, will have a capacity for approximately 3 thousand people and will receive 16 qualified athletes: eight male and eight female. At Lima 2019, the male title was for Argentina, while in the female, Brasil was the winner. These two countries, in addition to the United States, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Canada rule the historical medal table.
When asked about the chances of Chile -which won a silver medal in 1955 and two bronze medals in 1959 and in 1963, all in female tournaments and has just won gold at the South American Games Asunción 2022,- Marín highlights the local condition as an extra boost to break the streak of 60 years without a podium. “I think that all depends on how much the fans will support the team, I know FEBA Chile is working arduously to restructure everything that has been the competition group, both male and female. It is a hard tournament, but we have seen in previous scenarios that the host is always a hard nut to crack,” he mentioned.
Edgard Marín, FIBA Americas head of competition with Parque Metropolitano de Santiago in the background (photo: Santiago 2023)
FIBA AMERICUP: THE ROAD TO SANTIAGO 2023
The male competition already has eight participants after the realization of the FIBA AmeriCup in Recife last September. Argentina, the winner, in addition to Brazil, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela will be present in the venue of the Ñuñoa district along with the basketball national team.
In Females, Chile will know the other seven qualified teams in July after the female FIBA AmeriCup, venue to be announced.
The events at the Pan American Games will not lead to the Olympic Games, a competition reserved for 12 countries. At Paris 2024 will be the hosts France, the seven best teams from the next World Cup in Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, in addition to the four winners of the qualifying tournaments to be held in two phases during this and next year.
Basketball is one of the most traditional collective sports of the Pan American Games, being present, along with baseball, football, and water polo, since the inaugural edition at Buenos Aires 1951 until the upcoming Santiago 2023.
Chilean national male team won gold at the South American Games Asunción 2022, without the participation of Argentina and Brazil (Photo: Comunicaciones COCH)
All THE PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONS
MALE TOURNAMENT
Buenos Aires 1951: United States
Mexico City 1955:United States
Chicago 1959: United States
Sao Paulo 1963: United States
Winnipeg 1967: United States
Cali 1971: Brazil
Mexico City 1975: United States
San Juan 1979: United States
Caracas 1983: United States
Indianapolis 1987: Brazil
La Habana 1991: Puerto Rico
Mar del Plata 1995: Argentina
Winnipeg 1999: Brazil
Santo Domingo 2003: Brazil
Rio de Janeiro 2007: Brazil
Guadalajara 2011: Puerto Rico
Toronto 2015: Brazil
Lima 2019: Argentina
FEMALE TOURNAMENT
Mexico City 1955: United States
Chicago 1959: United States
Sao Paulo 1963: United States
Winnipeg 1967: Brazil
Cali 1971: Brazil
Mexico City 1975: United States
San Juan 1979: Cuba
Caracas 1983: United States
Indianapolis 1987: United States
La Habana 1991: Brazil
Mar del Plata 1995: Argentina
Winnipeg 1999: Cuba
Santo Domingo 2003: Cuba
Rio de Janeiro 2007: United States
Guadalajara 2011: Puerto Rico
Toronto 2015: Canada
Lima 2019: Brazil
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