EuroBasket Women: New qualification system

It is official: FIBA Europe have abolished Eurobasket Women qualification groups for Division A and Division B.

This means that the four teams that finished bottom in their groups do not play in the relegation group. Instead they join the six other teams in the qualification tournament to be held in a venue yet to be decided.

What follows is the official press release from FIBA Europe:

"We are happy to announce that now every country has the possibility to qualify two times for a EuroBasket Final Round every term." said FIBA Europe President Olafur Rafnsson.

"This gives all the national teams the possibility to have high level competition and, what is even more important, to play those games in front of their own fans." he added.

As this makes a Relegation Round in 2011 obsolete, it has been decided to extend the number of teams in the Additional Qualification Round 2011 to ten.

The ten teams will be divided into two groups with five teams and play a tournament in one of the participating countries next year before Eurobasket Women.

Both groups will play a round robin system with the respective group-winners advancing to a decisive game.

The winner of this game, which will be played in Poland, three days prior to EuroBasket Women 2011 will take part in the Final Round.

"This gives all teams something to play for next summer" commented FIBA Europe Secretary General Nar Zanolin.

"The new format saves the teams time and expenses in comparison to home and away games and is still very attractive as the winner gets a spot in EuroBasket Women without being too tired from travelling." he explained.

Meanwhile the games of Division B, played in the summer of 2011 will be used to determine the seeding for the 2013 Qualifying Round."

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