1963 FIBA World Championship

Updated on Nov 19, 2024

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Points Ricardo Duarte (23.1) Teams 13 Venues 5		Dates 11 May 1963 – 23 May 1963 Host nation Brazil

Champion Brazil national basketball team Similar 1970 FIBA World Championship, 1978 FIBA World Championship, 1950 FIBA World Championship, 1990 FIBA World Championship, 1986 FIBA World Championship

The 1963 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Brazil.

The Philippines was originally supposed to host the tournament but FIBA revoked hosting rights after the country refused to grant visas to players from communist countries. Brazil being the defending Champion and a previous host, fairly manage to re-host the Championship from May 12 to 25, 1963 and won the 1st back to back title with just six (6) games by seeding the well rested host team in the final round only.

Background

The Philippines was supposed to host the FIBA World Championship in 1962 but FIBA revoked hosting rights after the government of then President Diosdado Macapagal, refused to grant visas to players and officials of socialists countries including Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. A separate seven nation tournament was hosted by the Philippines instead. Among the teams which was participated are the United States, Canada, and Republic of China. The United States won title of the Philippines-hosted tournament.

The FIBA World Championship was held in 1963 in Brazil.

Suspension

FIBA suspended the original host country Philippines after Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal refused to allow players from Yugoslavia and other communist countries to enter the host country. Brazil being the defending Champion and a previous host, fairly manage to re-host the Championship. Later, the Philippines, despite being the Asian champion, was forced to play in a pre-Olympic tournament in order to qualify in the 1964 Summer Olympics.

Competition format

Preliminary round: Three groups of four teams play each other once; top two teams progress to the final round, bottom two teams relegated to classification round.

Classification round: All bottom two teams from preliminary round group play each other once. The team with the best record is ranked eighth; the worst is ranked 13th.

Final round: All top two teams from preliminary round group, the 1960 Olympic champion, and the host team play each other once. The team with the best record wins the championship.