Xinhua News Agency, Xi'an, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The enthusiasm of Chinese fans is beyond imagination -- an interview with FIBA Secretary-General Zagres.
Xinhua News Agency reporters Cao Yibo and Yao Youming.
FIBA Secretary-General Andrea Zagres attended the Olympic qualifying match between the Chinese women's basketball team and the Puerto Rico team on the evening of the 11th in Xi'an, during an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency reporters, Zagres sent New Year greetings to Chinese fans, and said that the enthusiasm shown by Chinese fans is beyond imagination, and China's ability to host the game is also improving.
China's basketball popularity is high and its ability to host games has improved.
The Women's Basketball Olympic Qualifying Tournament held in Xi'an from the 8th to the 11th of this month coincided with the Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon, immersed in the joy of the New Year, and Chinese fans also showed great enthusiasm for watching the game, with more than 5,000 fans attending the game on the three match days, and the tickets for the focus of the Chinese women's basketball team and the French women's basketball team were sold out early.
The enthusiasm shown by the Chinese fans during the festival is truly an incredible achievement. "Thank you to the city of Xi'an and the Chinese Basketball Association for their efforts. ”
Zagris said that basketball is a popular "family sport", and he was very pleased to observe that it was not only adult spectators but "all ages" who were present. "Especially on the first day of the Year of the Dragon, the scene was very lively and memorable. This reflects the high popularity of basketball in China and is a continuation of the FIBA World Cup held in China in 2019. Zagres said.
In 2018, Zagris visited Xi'an for the World Basketball Summit, and this year's Women's Basketball Olympic Qualification Tournament is his first return to Xi'an as FIBA Secretary-General. "Xi'an is a beautiful city, and I still remember the grand welcome ceremony held at the south gate of the Xi'an city wall. This time I came to Xi'an, I went to visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses and the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang in the morning, and I was deeply attracted by the city. Zagris said with a smile.
Zagris was also impressed by China's growing ability to host the tournament. "If memory serves, when I came to China in 2018, the stadium (Shaanxi Provincial Gymnasium) had not yet been built. Zagres recalled, and then he also gave his affirmation of the event: "The stadium has the right size, and its service to the Chinese team and the other three participating teams can be called exemplary. ”
The Women's Basketball World Cup will be expanded.
Talking about the development of women's basketball in the world, Zagres said that women's basketball is one of the three strategic priorities proposed by FIBA in 2019, and the plan to prioritize the development of women's basketball will continue until at least 2027. "Our vision is to promote basketball as the world's most popular sports community, and to accomplish this task is to increase participation in women's basketball. ”
Zagris mentioned that the number of female referees and coaches has seen a significant increase, and that FIBA will help more female athletes achieve their dreams on the court by adjusting the format and strengthening marketing. "The next tournament in Berlin, Germany, in 2026, will be expanded to 16 teams, compared to the 12 teams at the 2022 Women's Basketball World Cup in Australia," said Zagres. On top of that, we are planning a new format of World Cup qualifying, aiming to have at least 30 teams have the opportunity to compete in FIBA's intercontinental competitions every summer. This summer, for example, 12 teams will compete in the Olympics while the other 16 teams will qualify for the World Cup in Berlin. ”
In addition, we also need more female basketball stars, so that fans can not only recognize 'superstars' such as Han Xu, Li Yueru and Li Meng, but also learn more international players. Zagres said.
The growth of the Chinese men's basketball team and local referees requires high-level exchanges.
Regarding the current situation of Chinese referees rarely being seen in the tournament, Zagris believes that it will be a long process, but FIBA and the Chinese Basketball Association are already working together to promote the growth of local referees.
Over the past five to six years, FIBA has been exploring new ways to work with basketball associations to train referees, Zagris said. "There are currently more than a dozen international referees in China, but they need to gain more league enforcement experience and closer international exchanges in order to reach a higher stage. We have a close cooperation with the Chinese Basketball Association on the refereeing program, and I hope that the results will be shown soon, but it will be a long process. ”
Talking about the trough that the Chinese men's basketball team is experiencing, Zagres also gave his advice for Chinese basketball. Zagris believes that in addition to the indispensable support of fans, more participation in international competitions is also an important part of the national team's growth.
I know that there has always been a debate about 'quantity' and 'quality', and in my opinion, the Chinese men's basketball team needs to appear more at a high level in international competitions. Many years ago, Stankovic, then FIBA's secretary general, opened up professional players to international competitions, and he had to play against stronger opponents to improve himself. ”
Finally, Zagres sent Chinese New Year greetings to the Chinese fans. "I wish you all a happy and successful New Year, and may you all have a successful 'Year of Basketball'. "ENDS).