FIBA Europe president: Tbilisi sports arena biggest legacy of EuroBasket

Kamil Novak, the executive director of FIBA Europe and Turgay Demirel, the president of the governing body, have praised the Georgian basketball federation among national bodies of host countries of the recently finished EuroBasket tournament, with Novak noting “the biggest legacy of EuroBasket 2022 was the new arena in Tbilisi”.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Novak said the venue - which hosted tournament games held in Georgia, one of the four hosts alongside the Czech Republic, Italy and Germany - had been completed in spite of the pandemic postponing its construction, in his praise of the four countries delivering “above and beyond expectations” thanks to the support of local authorities and organisers.

Tbilisi Arena. Photo from Georgian basketball federation's facebook page

The official of the European governing body noted how the decision to postpone the tournament by one year had resulted in logistical issues for FIBA Europe and the four hosts, before noting the success in its organising.

This EuroBasket was very special in the group phase with the modern arenas in Cologne, Prague, Tbilisi and the historical arena in Milan, which made it very special for the spectators. The fan experience was enhanced by the hospitality of the beautiful host cities'', he said.

Demirel thanked the four host federations, the volunteers, the local organising committees, and FIBA EuroBasket 2022 ambassador Dirk Nowitzki for contributing to a tournament that “met fans’ expectations” and added that the format change introduced in 2015, with four different hosting countries, “proved to be a success on multiple levels”.

Georgia hosted the European continent’s major basketball event for the first time at Tbilisi Arena in the Georgian capital between September 1-7.

Photo: Georgian basketball federation

Viktor Sanikidze, the president of the Georgian basketball federation, told agenda.ge co-hosting EuroBasket for the first time was a “great recognition” for the country, as the tournament was “one of the largest-scale, popular and highly rated sports events in the world”.

Sanikidze also highlighted Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili’s involvement in the process of timely completion of the construction of Tbilisi Arena.

He also added the multifunctional nature of the venue would enable it to also host “any cultural or other event” at an international level.