Angola will replace the Republic of Congo as the host country of FIBA AfroBasket 2017, FIBA Africa announced on Friday.
The decision comes following the withdrawal of the Republic of Congo, who cited logistics issues as the reason for their inability to host Africa’s flagship basketball competition.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 16-team event will run from August 19 to August 30.
Angola has hosted it on three occasions before —- in 1989, 1999 and 2007.
The decision on the selection of the new host was made after a meeting in Bamako on Friday between the Angolan Basketball Federation (FAB) and the FIBA Africa board.
Now, the teams competing in FIBA AfroBasket 2017 are reigning champions Nigeria, hosts Angola, Morocco, Tunisia, Mali, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Uganda, Mozambique and South Africa.
All of them earned their places through the FIBA AfroBasket 2017 Qualifiers.
Guinea and Rwanda, who will also join them, received a wild card each.
An additional wild card will be allocated in order to select a replacement for the Republic of Congo.(NAN)