We already proposed this (the friendly matches to FIBA) when we had a meeting in the Philippines and it was approved.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) put forth a proposal to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) for the Indonesian national basketball team to hold friendly matches against participants of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

"We are proposing to FIBA, so that the Indonesian national team can play in the trials (friendly matches), although they do not qualify for the world cup," Secretary General of Perbasi Nirmala Dewi remarked here on Tuesday.

Hence, before implementation of the world cup matches, friendly matches will be held between the Indonesian national team and the world cup participants, she noted.

Indonesia will not take part in the 2023 FIBA World Cup despite being one of the three hosts of the tournament along with the Philippines and Japan.

The Indonesian national team failed to qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup in July 2022, as the requirement to be eligible for competing in the world cup.

Nonetheless, Indonesia was keen to make the most of the opportunity as the host of the world cup, so Perbasi put forth the proposal for friendly matches to FIBA.

The friendly matches, planned to be held in April 2023, will also be organized to conduct a trial at the Indonesia Arena Stadium -- one of the venues of the world cup -- which is still being constructed at the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex, Jakarta.

However, the Perbasi secretary general said her side was unable to determine the opponents of the Indonesian national team in the friendly matches since FIBA was still awaiting the results of the World Cup group stage draw and the arrival schedule of the participating teams.

“We already proposed this (the friendly matches to FIBA) when we had a meeting in the Philippines, and it was approved. However, (who the opponents will be) will depend on the (World Cup group) draw later," she noted.

The draw is scheduled to take place in Manila in March 2023.

"We also do not know how many countries will play (in the friendly matches) against the (Indonesian) national team because everything is regulated by FIBA, such as the event schedule and so on. Thus, later, FIBA will decide which teams Indonesia will have friendly matches with," Dewi remarked.

The 2023 FIBA World Cup will be held from August 25 to September 10, 2023, at five venues in three countries.

The Philippines will host the matches for 16 participating countries, while Japan and Indonesia will host the matches of eight teams each.

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Translator: Shofi Ayudiana, Uyu Liman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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