No major FIBA tournament in 2018 after 51 years

By Stelios Toromanidis/ info@eurohoops.net

Actually, from 1967 until 2017 there was from one to four final phases of FIBA competitions (including the Olympic Games) annually, something that, as we know, won’t be happening this year. The reason for this are the changes in the calendar of the International Basketball Federation, who introduced qualifiers in four different periods each year, at the same time deciding to leave one year out of every four “free” of final phases.

Essentially, the EuroBasket, Asia Cup and AfroBasket tournaments will be held every four years and not every two, as had been the case (aside from very few exceptions) from 1967 until last year. Both the World Cup as well as the AmeriCup will continue to be held in different countries every four years, as is the case with the Olympic Games.

This way, the players’ commitments are increased during a season, but their summer rest is prolonged once every four years.

So, after 51 years, basketball fans will not have the opportunity to watch any of their favorite international competitions. However, the action of the qualifiers is more than enough to hold out interest.

In detail, the table containing FIBA’s international competitions (plus the Olympic Games) every year from 1967 to 2017:

Year Final phases of FIBA’s international competitions for men’s national teams
1967 World Cup, EuroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup
1968 Olympic Games, AfroBasket
1969 EuroBasket, Asia Cup
1970 World Cup, AfroBasket
1971 EuroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup
1972 Olympic Games, AfroBasket
1973 EuroBasket, Asia Cup
1974 World Cup, AfroBasket
1975 EuroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
1976 Olympic Games
1977 EuroBasket, Asia Cup
1978 World Cup, AfroBasket
1979 EuroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup
1980 Olympic Games, AfroBasket
1981 EuroBasket, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
1982 World Cup
1983 EuroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
1984 Olympic Games
1985 EuroBasket, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
1986 World Cup
1987 EuroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
1988 Olympic Games
1989 EuroBasket, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
1990 World Cup
1991 EuroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup
1992 Olympic Games, AfroBasket
1993 EuroBasket, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
1994 World Cup
1995 EuroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
1996 Olympic Games
1997 EuroBasket, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
1998 World Cup
1999 EuroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
2000 Olympic Games
2001 EuroBasket, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
2002 World Cup
2003 EuroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
2004 Olympic Games
2005 EuroBasket, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
2006 World Cup
2007 EuroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
2008 Olympic Games
2009 EuroBasket, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
2010 World Cup
2011 EuroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
2012 Olympic Games
2013 EuroBasket, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
2014 World Cup
2015 EuroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
2016 Olympic Games
2017 EuroBasket, Asia Cup, AfroBasket
Total 51 years, 13 Olympic Games, 13 World Cups, 26 EuroBaskets, 26 Asia Cups, 26 AfroBaskets
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