FIBA - Profile of 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup wild card candidate: Greece

MIES (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - On 1 February 2014, FIBA's Central Board will announce the national teams that will be the recipients of the four wild cards to complete the field at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Fifteen national teams from across four FIBA zones submitted their applications for the wild cards. They all participated in their respective 2013 continental championships which are qualifying tournament for FIBA's flagship event in Spain next year (30 August-14 September 2014).

The 15 candidates are: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Nigeria, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Turkey and Venezuela.

In the lead-up to the decision on 1 February, we will profile all 15 applicants.

Today we look at Greece (GRE).

Recent history in international competitions: Greece opened their EuroBasket 2013 campaign with First Round wins over Sweden, Russia and Turkey before losing to Italy and Finland and head into the Second Round with an 0-2 record. The Greeks wound up beating Spain in the first game of the second phase but lost to host Slovenia and Croatia - the latter in a double-overtime thriller - and failed to reach the Quarter-Finals in Slovenia. Greece had reached the Final Wight in the previous five EuroBaskets, including taking third place in 2009 and winning the championship in 2005. That triumph was the nation's second continental title following the maiden one from 1987. The Greeks have played at the last two FIBA World Championships, finishing second in 2006 in Japan. Greece missed out on the 2012 London Olympics after having played at the 2004 and 2008 Games - bowing out in the Quarter-Finals in both tournaments.

Aris Zois, a member of the Hellenic Basketball Federation took time to state the case on behalf of his national federation to be given one of the four wild cards for Spain 2014.

FIBA: What are the three main reasons why Greece deserves to receive a wild card to participate in the 2014 FIBA World Cup?
Zois: In recent decades, our national team has taken part in practically all top basketball events and has always been among the best. This is clearly reflected in the current FIBA Ranking Men, where Greece holds fifth place. Furthermore, never in the past have we received a wild card to participate in a major competition, because we never needed one. Being a country that has successfully organised Olympic Games, a FIBA World Championship, two EuroBaskets and numerous other major official competitions and events, we believe that now that we need a wild card, we deserve to receive it. Finally, the popularity of basketball in Greece is enormous. Fans systematically seek to be present at all the games of our national team, wherever they take place. National press covers extensively all basketball activities. All games are always televised, with very high audiences.

FIBA: If given a wild card, how competitive can we expect Greece to be and how confident are you that the team will feature all its leading/best players?
Zois: The most important factor is that our players take pride in being part of the national team. The leading players have declared on several occasions that they consider their participation in the national team as a great honour and therefore whenever they are called, they will be there, ready to help. Top players have always taken part in our national teams, even when they had problems with injuries! The current team is a mixture of experienced players and young talents. All these players are prominent protagonists of our sport on a global level. Most of them play all over Europe (and namely in top Greek club teams that have repeatedly been Euroleague champions in recent years). We also have three active players in the NBA. It is therefore certain that in the case of participation of our national team in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the coach will be able to choose from a large number of top level players and create a highly competitive team with leading aspirations.

FIBA: How will having your national team play at the 2014 FIBA Basketball world Cup help the growth, development and popularity of the sport in your country?
Zois: Basketball in Greece is already the most widely spread and developed sport. This is due in large part to the development programme that has been implemented for many years by the Greek Federation. However, this development programme alone would not suffice for basketball to reach and maintain this leading position. It is proved that each participation in top basketball tournaments - such as the FIBA Basketball World Cup - attracts the interest not only of basketball fans but also of the general public. Basketball is continuously in a prominent position in the media. Such a visibility makes young kids choose basketball over the other sports. It brings the public to the stadiums and considerably increases television audiences. It attracts the interest of major sponsors and public authorities, thus ensuring basketball's funding and financial sustainability. In conclusion, it is the combination of this development programme and the presence of our national team in major international basketball tournaments that will ensure the further growth, popularity and development of Basketball in our country.

FIBA: What do you consider as the greatest moment in your country's basketball history?
Zois: Greek basketball has offered many great moments of joy and pride to the Greeks, winning trophies and having achieved great distinctions with national teams of all ages, at European and World level. The turning point for Greek basketball has been winning EuroBasket 1987 in Greece. It rewarded many years of efforts to develop basketball in the country and was the starting point for the subsequent rapid growth of basketball and it becoming the favourite sport for Greek people. Many distinctions followed, among which the EuroBasket 2005 title. However, the top World distinction came in Japan in 2006, when our national team - after having beaten the USA in memorable a Semi-Final - played in the Final of the World Championship.

Key facts and figures and additional information about basketball in Greece:
Number of licensed players
• Men: 260,544 currently active players; 403,182 total number of licensed players
• Women: 64,587 currently  active players; 106,223 total number of licensed players

FIBA