No fans yet for February window of FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, SBP says

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is leaning towards the possibility of hosting the February window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers at the Araneta Coliseum without a live audience.

SBP executive director Sonny Barrios said that the Quezon City local government unit (LGU) did allow them to stage the window in the city but frowned upon allowing fans inside the Big Dome.

The Araneta Coliseum will house the tournament that runs from February 24 to 28.

"The system now is different from before where we had to ask permission only from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and then IATF," said Barrios during Tuesday's Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.

"But our hosting now will have a third entity which is the LGU."

Barrios, though, is not completely rejecting the chances of fans on the stands as he said the direction set by the IATF may change in the next few days leading to the tournament.

"Let's see because they (IATF) give us new updates every 15 days so the one being implemented right now is the advisory covering the period of February 1 to 15," he added.

"Let's see the development on February 16 until the end of February, which will cover the qualifiers. But as of now, no fans yet will be allowed."

The Philippines will open its campaign against South Korea on February 24 before facing India and New Zealand on February 25 and 27, respectively. Gilas Pilipinas will then close out the window against Korea anew on the 28th.

The nationals are already qualified to the World Cup as it will serve as one of the hosts alongside Japan and Indonesia.

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News