DOHA: Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF), headed by Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, will host the second edition of the FIBA 3x3 All Stars Contest at Katara Beach on December 12, it was announced here yesterday.
Addressing a press conference here yesterday QBF Secretary General Mohamed Ali Hobash Al Marri hectic preparations are on to host the event.
“We are ready to welcome and host all the players and officials for the second edition of the FIBA 3x3 All Stars on December 12 at the impressive Katara Beach. We’re trying our best to raise the level of the event and wish to treat sports fans with another thrilling contest,” said Marri.
“We’ve increased the prize money to attract the best 3x3 players in the world. Along with the contest, there will be some side events to make it a unique and memorable event. We’re confident that the second contest would present a higher level of competition, which reflects the growth achieved in the sport over a year,” said the QBF official.
Besides Marri others who attended the press meet were world top-ranked player Dushan Domovic-Bulut of Serbia, QBF Executive Director Saadoun Al Kuwari, Katara Operations General Manager Ahmed Al Sayed, FIBA 3x3 Event Manager Ignacio Soriano and Connor Sport Court International Vice-President Andrew Gettig.
QBF officials said they aim to raise the bar at this year’s championship boosted by last year’s massive success.
QBF Executive Director Saadoun Al Kuwari said: “We’ll take six players to the visit of six schools and hospital to create more awareness about the sports and its benefits. Last year, the players also went to meet children with special needs and that trip was certainly very inspiring for them. The players will visit them again.”
“All the players will be staying in Retaj Hotel and the officials will stay in St Regis. Qatar Airways has again offered to bring the teams and officials.
Katara Operations General Manager Ahmed Al Sayed said he was looking forward to the championship and thanked the FIBA and QBF for bringing the event to Katara for the second successive year.
“We’re proud to have partnership with the QBF for this and their other events. It was a grand success in the 2013 and we hope we will have bigger crowd and more exciting matches in the upcoming edition. Helping such mass sports activities is a part of the Katara’s social responsibility and we’re very delighted to be a part of it,” the Katara official said.
Domovic-Bulut said he was looking forward to the second edition at Katara. His team, Novi Sad, won the World 3x3 Tour finals in Japan. The 2013 season was not as good as they lost the World 3x3 finale and then the Qatar final to Slovenia’s Brezovica. Qatar pulled off a big upset as they beat Serbia, which included Domovic-Bulut in the team, to win the FIBA World 3x3 Championship in Moscow earlier this year.THE PENINSULA
