Eurobasket 2013 in Slovenia

From dreams to the European basketball championship

At a meeting in Munich on 5 December 2010, the Board of FIBA Europe decided that at the end of August and beginning of September 2013, Slovenia will host what has to date been its biggest sports event, the European basketball championship.

The main decision of the FIBA Europe Board, that in 2013 Slovenia will host the European men`s basketball championship, brought big smiles to faces in Slovenia`s basketball circles. Basketball is the main team sport in Slovenia, and the last major competitions have been attended by almost as many Slovenians as fans from all other countries together. Slovenia also boasts an outstanding national team, which in contrast to its rivals is just about the only one still not to have had the chance to perform on home ground. After the European football championship, EuroBasket is the second biggest national team competition on this continent. A total of 24 teams will compete for the title.

Fiba Europe Secretary General Nar Zanolin said at a press conference that he is delighted and honoured that basketball will be played in Slovenia. He is also certain that given the enthusiasm of the people and Slovenian Government, the will, the exceptional fans and the fact that basketball is highly popular in Slovenia, we will put together one of the best European championships of all.

In order to host the European championship, Slovenia will need one or two new sports halls. Most of the games, or at least the final ones, will be held in the new Stožice sports arena in Ljubljana, while the other games will in all probability be held in newly built sports halls in Novo Mesto, Maribor, Celje and Ptuj.

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