Flamengo's CR, through this Official Note, informs its members and fans about the situation that it has been trying to resolve through diplomatic channels over the last two weeks regarding the draw for the semifinal stage of the South American Basketball League.
Before the tournament began, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA Americas) established a committee to define the general rules for the competition. In addition to determining the distribution of the 16 participants among the four groups—A, B, C, and D—this same committee also determined the configuration of the semifinal groups:
Group E: A1, B1, C2 and D1
Group F: A2, B2, C1 and the best third-placed team from A, B or C
These groups were announced by the Organizing Committee, and thus the championship began. Flamengo's CR, in Group A, opened the first phase of the South American League playing in the city of Quibdo, Colombia, facing enormous logistical difficulties, and qualified first in group A1, a quadrangular that concluded on October 05th.
Strangely, on October 13th, when Group B had already been played, FIBA Americas issued an official statement changing the semifinal group stages, contradicting the Organizing Committee's previously announced arrangement. The main change was in the bracket composition:
Group E: D1 leaves and the Best Third Placed (from A, B or C) enters
Group F: The Best Third Placed (from A, B or C) leaves and D1 enters.
Since then, we've been trying, as an interested club and through the National Basketball League, to reverse the situation with Consubasquet (which organizes the South American League) and FIBA Americas. After two weeks, there seems to be a tendency to return to the original groups as the final decision. We believe common sense will prevail.
Flamengo's CR, however, feels compelled to speak out because today, October 24, 10, the final Group D matches of the qualifying phase begin. We also disagree that this debate should only take place when the eight teams that qualify have already been determined, allowing for anecdotal evidence to be confused with decisions that should be guided by reason and respect for the rules.
Flamengo's CR wants regulations to be enforced, regardless of any assessment of their respective technical benefits or drawbacks. Changing the rules in the middle of the competition is harmful, undermines credibility, and only results in one major loser: the sport.
In the 2016/17 season, Flamengo was already deeply harmed, having qualified for the Liga das Américas on the court and subsequently been barred from participating due to serious governance issues at the Brazilian Basketball Confederation, which was ultimately suspended by FIBA. We paid a heavy price, without the slightest responsibility. Now, we hope that our club, which achieved victories in the first phase of the Liga Sudamericana through, once again, its own merits on the court, will not see its rights violated off it again.
Flamengo's CR has a long history in basketball, a sport in which we have invested heavily in recent years, leading us to state, national, continental, and intercontinental titles (the 2014 Club World Championship). Competition organizers are expected to be serious about ensuring that, at the very least, regulations are not changed while competitions are already underway. We will be monitoring the next steps in this story, continuing to fight for the right causes.
Flamengo CR Board of Directors
Before the tournament began, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA Americas) established a committee to define the general rules for the competition. In addition to determining the distribution of the 16 participants among the four groups—A, B, C, and D—this same committee also determined the configuration of the semifinal groups:
Group E: A1, B1, C2 and D1
Group F: A2, B2, C1 and the best third-placed team from A, B or C
These groups were announced by the Organizing Committee, and thus the championship began. Flamengo's CR, in Group A, opened the first phase of the South American League playing in the city of Quibdo, Colombia, facing enormous logistical difficulties, and qualified first in group A1, a quadrangular that concluded on October 05th.
Strangely, on October 13th, when Group B had already been played, FIBA Americas issued an official statement changing the semifinal group stages, contradicting the Organizing Committee's previously announced arrangement. The main change was in the bracket composition:
Group E: D1 leaves and the Best Third Placed (from A, B or C) enters
Group F: The Best Third Placed (from A, B or C) leaves and D1 enters.
Since then, we've been trying, as an interested club and through the National Basketball League, to reverse the situation with Consubasquet (which organizes the South American League) and FIBA Americas. After two weeks, there seems to be a tendency to return to the original groups as the final decision. We believe common sense will prevail.
Flamengo's CR, however, feels compelled to speak out because today, October 24, 10, the final Group D matches of the qualifying phase begin. We also disagree that this debate should only take place when the eight teams that qualify have already been determined, allowing for anecdotal evidence to be confused with decisions that should be guided by reason and respect for the rules.
Flamengo's CR wants regulations to be enforced, regardless of any assessment of their respective technical benefits or drawbacks. Changing the rules in the middle of the competition is harmful, undermines credibility, and only results in one major loser: the sport.
In the 2016/17 season, Flamengo was already deeply harmed, having qualified for the Liga das Américas on the court and subsequently been barred from participating due to serious governance issues at the Brazilian Basketball Confederation, which was ultimately suspended by FIBA. We paid a heavy price, without the slightest responsibility. Now, we hope that our club, which achieved victories in the first phase of the Liga Sudamericana through, once again, its own merits on the court, will not see its rights violated off it again.
Flamengo's CR has a long history in basketball, a sport in which we have invested heavily in recent years, leading us to state, national, continental, and intercontinental titles (the 2014 Club World Championship). Competition organizers are expected to be serious about ensuring that, at the very least, regulations are not changed while competitions are already underway. We will be monitoring the next steps in this story, continuing to fight for the right causes.
Flamengo CR Board of Directors