THE Embassy of Canada praised the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the recent FIBA World Cup for successfully lead hosting the event where its team claimed a historic bronze medal at the expense of Team USA.
“The Embassy of Canada congratulates the local organizers of the FIBA Basketball World Cup for a successful co-hosting of this popular sporting event, once again showing the world the Philippines’ brand of top-notch hospitality,” the Canadian Embassy in Manila said Tuesday.
“We commend them for a superb job in bringing the world’s top teams to the Philippines for some of the most exciting basketball games in history,” the embassy’s statement added.
The US Embassy felt the pinch caused by Canada’s 127-118 overtime win in the battle for third place over the weekend, but reserved it praises for their tormentors.
“Wish the OT had yielded a different outcome, but I extend my congratulations to Canada for winning the bronze. Thank you, @FIBAWC,” said US Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson on X (formerly Twitter).
Carlson was one of the more than 10,000 fans who watched the third-place game at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. She was also present in Team USA’s earlier games in the World Cup.
The Philippines, Okinana in Japan and Jakarta in Indonesia co-hosted the World Cup, a format adopted for the first time by the sport’s world governing body on the recommendation of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas chairman emeritus Manuel V. Pangilinan.
The Canadian Embassy said the FIBA games in Manila was “more special” for Team Canada because they achieved their first bronze in FIBA World Cup in history.
“Canada and the Philippines share several common values, and the warm reception Filipino fans gave Team Canada showed us how basketball is a national passion Canadians and Filipinos mutually share,” the Embassy told the BusinessMirror.