FIBA's first youth tournament since start of pandemic tips off in Latvia

RIGA / DAUGAVPILS (Latvia) - FIBA, along with the Latvian Basketball Association and local organizers, who have been collaborating closely for more than six months, are thrilled to finally present the best young players from around the globe at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2021 - the first FIBA youth tournament since the global pandemic began.

The 15th edition of the U19 global showcase tipped off with France facing Korea at the Riga Olympic Centre, with a limited number of fans being allowed into the games - something that seemed unimaginable just a few months ago.

However, basketball's world governing body received backing from the Latvian government to implement the 'FIBA Return to Basketball COVID-19 Protocol for FIBA Official National Team and Club Competition', developed by the FIBA Medical Advisory Group (MAG) in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO). The safety regulations are in place to secure the health of all 16 teams, their delegations as well as FIBA staff, local organizers, media and fans.

FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis, joined by a delegation of the Latvian Basketball Association, met with the Latvian Prime Minister Arturs Krisjanis Karins, pictured below, and also attended the France-Korea game on the opening day of the competition.

The tournament, which runs from July 3-11 and will be hosted in Riga and Daugavpils, was awarded to Latvia on February 12, 2021. The Baltic country is hosting the event for a second time, following 2011. The United States go into the 2021 edition as the reigning champions from 2019 and the winners of seven of the previous 14 tournaments.

The FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2021 is available live on FIBA's YouTube channel. 

FIBA