The date and venue for the draw for EuroBasket 2015 has been announced. Disneyland Paris, or EuroDisney to some of us, will be the venue to decide who plays who and where. The draw will take place at 16.00 CET on 8 December.
The top two teams at EuroBasket will progress to the 2016 Olympics in Rio while the teams finishing third through sixth will play in the Olympic qualifying tournament to decide the final three spots.
Here’s the full statement from FIBA Europe:
The EuroBasket 2015 Draw will be held on 8 December 2014 in Disneyland Paris.
Disneyland Paris, one of the most famous attractions in Europe, will provide a unique setting for the ceremony, which is scheduled to start at 16:00 CET.
Esteemed personalities from the world of sports will assist in drawing the 24 participating teams into four groups of six teams for the Group Phase.
EuroBasket 2015 will take place from 5-20 September, serving as a qualification tournament for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The two EuroBasket finalists will book a direct ticket to the Olympics, while the four teams finishing third to sixth will compete in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
For the first time in the event’s 80-year history, the EuroBasket Final Round will be hosted by four countries.
The Group Phase will be staged in Berlin (Germany), Montpellier (France), Riga (Latvia) and Zagreb (Croatia), with the Final Phase set to take place in Lille (France).
“Disneyland Paris will set a magical stage for the EuroBasket Draw, announcing the spectacle that will await us next year,” said FIBA Europe President Turgay Demirel.
“EuroBasket 2015 is one of the biggest sporting events in Europe and we are all curious to learn the outcome of the draw and the exciting match-ups we will be treated with.”
“We have decided to organise this event in “Disneyland Paris”, one of the most Pan-European destinations in Europe, just as EuroBasket 2015 will be,” stated Jean-Pierre Siutat, President of the French Basketball Federation.
“For the first time ever this competition will be played in four different countries and we want to achieve a popular and festive international event. This draw will bring together hundreds of personalities and will help the four federations to open their ticketing services some days after.”
Adding to the thoughts of Demirel and Siutat, FIBA Europe Secretary General Kamil Novak commented, “We are confident that EuroBasket 2015 will set a new standard on and off the court, with the event taking place in five top-notch venues.
“On behalf of FIBA Europe I would like to thank the French Basketball Federation for organising this draw event.”
Prior to the men’s draw, the European basketball family will get together in Budapest on 29 November for the EuroBasket Women 2015 Draw.
The 20 participating nations will be drawn into four groups of five teams.
EuroBasket Women 2015 will be held in Hungary and Romania from 11-28 June.
Leave a Reply