Spectators anticipated at Olympic Qualifying Tournaments

MIES (Switzerland) - Kept quiet by the pandemic until now, the sights and sounds of basketball fans cheering from the stands during FIBA's upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQT) soon looks to be a reality.

The four OQT events - in Canada, Croatia, Lithuania and Serbia - all tipoff on June 29 and conclude on July 4. There's plenty on the line as each of the tournament winners earns their country entry to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as progress continues against COVID-19. 

Leading national team players like Luka Doncic of Slovenia, and both Domas Sabonis and Jonas Valanciunas of Lithuania, are setting their sights on competing at the Tokyo Games as thousands of spectators will be allowed to watch them compete at the Kaunas OQT.

Fans in Lithuania will pile into the Zalgiris Arena to watch the Olympic Qualifying Tournament

High-spirited fans are also expected at the OQTs in Belgrade, Split and Victoria, with COVID-19 protocols in place at all the events.

In Kaunas, where Lithuania supporters are hoping their national team will reach the Olympics for the eighth consecutive time, fans are quickly snapping up tickets. The 15,450-seat Zalgiris Arena will host all the games for OQT Kaunas with 75 percent capacity will be allowed, which is around 11,500 spectators.

 

Slovenia will square off against Poland and Angola in Group B while Lithuania will face Korea and Venezuela in Group A. The winner of the Final on July 4 will book a trip to Tokyo. 

Belgrade staged the 2016 OQT and will do so again ahead as Serbia attempt to reach Tokyo

At the Belgrade OQT - where the Dominican Republic, Philippines and Serbia will battle in Group A and Puerto Rico, Italy and Senegal will meet in Group B - local organisers anticipate around 2,000 spectators will be allowed at each game,  although that number may be increased in the coming days. Ticket sales for the Belgrade OQT will begin next week.

 

In Croatia at the Split OQT -  where Germany, Russia and Mexico are in Group A and Brazil, Tunisia and the Croatians are in Group B - tickets are expected to go on sale on Tuesday, June 22. The games will be played at the Spaladium Arena, and it is expected that 40 percent of the near 11,000 capacity venue are available for purchase. 

 

At the OQT in Victoria, where the Canadian hosts hope to return to the men's Olympic tournament for the first time since the Sydney Games in 2000, organizers will welcome back fans into the stands starting from July 1st with the exact number of spectators allowed to watch to follow soon.  

Challenging the country host for the OQT Victoria ticket to Tokyo are Greece and China with Canada in Group A, while the Czech Republic, Turkey and Uruguay will be in Group B.

FIBA