ANG - Conceicao: We will be ready for Afrobasket

LUANDA (Afrobasket 2007) - Deputy chairman of the Angolan Basketball Federation (FAB), Jean Jacques da Conceicao, is still hopeful the country will be ready to host AfroBasket 2007 in August next year.

Exactly 12 months ago FIBA Africa announced that Angola, the eight-time African champions, had beaten off competition from Mali to win the rights to host their third Afrobasket.

The FAB had hoped to have the five arenas in Benguela, Huila, Huambo, Cabinda and Luanda ready, but with less than a year left, the possibility looms that only two of these will be completed on time.

Yet Conceicao believes that if the government makes good on their promises, things will still be completed on time.

He told PA Sport: "The time is going by quickly. We will keep working on it, and we are quietly confident that we'll have everything ready on time - but we are dependent on Government support.

"Clearly I would like to have all the arenas ready on the proper time, but if we can't get them ready, then at least two will be finished.

When asked if he saw the preparations as a failure, he insisted: "No, not at all, because there are some good building companies in the country who can finish it on time.

"Obviously we want to win the trophy, this our third AfroBasket at home, and our people are eager to celebrate."

By Julio Chitunda
PA Sport