The International Basketball Federation (popularly known as FIBA) has long been credited as the world's premiere basketball competition outside of the Olympics.Yes, there's the American juggernaut that is the National Basketball Association where "amazing happens," but the thing that will always separate the FIBA tourney is that it's where countries are represented and play the game of basketball with rules that were not skewered for television ratings and advertisements (in theory).
Years have passed and we've seen teams rise in the ranks-- none more than those in the Asian region which enjoys just ONE (sometimes two) olympic qualifying slot for a total of 44 participating countries.
Forty-four teams.
The FIBA-Oceania tournament features 21 countries, but is usually dominated/ participated in by two teams- Australia and New Zealand. Daresay that you can take some of the lower-ranked teams from the FIBA-Asia and that those teams will surely contend in FIBA-Oceania.
I say, it's time for the FIBA Asia to be split.
The 44 teams are divided into subregions: East Asia (notable teams: China, Japan, Korea), Middle Asia , West Asia (Iran, Lebanon, Jordan), Southeast Asia (Philippines) and Gulf. If we're going to have two divisions, then it wouldn't hurt to put the Middle, West and Gulf Asia on Asia I while the Eastern countries (who have stronger teams anyway) slug it out in Asia II.
It doesn't take a scientist to see the disparity in body types and features between the two Asian regions, so why not divide it? You can't argue that I'm simply asking for this to increase the Philippines' chances (because we'll still be stuck with China, Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei) but to better promote Asian basketball all over the world.
Hell, there are Asian players who are much more skilled than the millionaires kids love to watch on television in the NBA. Skills-wise, Chinese Taipei's Wen Ten Tsing is better and more polished than the Kwame Browns and Eric Dampiers of the world.
Asian basketball teams have improved dramatically over the last ten years owing to the Western influence (and better local programs). It's high time FIBA recognizes that if it wants basketball to overtake football in the eyes of sports fans, then giving us a fair shake in qualifying tournaments would be the best place to start.
