Wet Weather Biggest Worry for Basketball's Olympic Test Event

(ATR) The secretary general of the International Basketball Federation tellsAround the Ringsthe new Basketball Arena in London is almost up to Olympic standards already.

Patrick Baumann had no major complaints about the venue at the sport's test event in Stratford this week.

He did admit, however, to some small concerns over –funnily enough for an indoor competition –the weather conditions.

"Our main priority is the health of the athletes," he told ATR,"and when they go from a closed rest area to the arena they have to go outside briefly, and when it is bad weather this is not good for them."

The weeklong test event, the first for an Olympic Park venue, was subject to heavy rain showers.

"Luckily so far no one has slipped on court because of the wet weather," said Baumann.

"Also the national technical officials still need to practice on the equipment they are going to be using at the Games. Otherwise, if they are not practiced, mistakes are made, and we had a few earlier in the week."

Baumann, also an IOC member from Switzerland, had high praise for the new 12,000-seat venue.

In terms of the playing surface and equipment, he had no complaints whatsoever.

"We are progressively on our way to becoming Olympic-standard," he said. "I am very happy."

He even went as far as to praise LOCOG’s innovative decision to use black as the color for the technical areas on the court,a first for the sport.

"At FIBA we usually have blue on the courts," he explained, "but LOCOG made the decision to make it black for the first time ever, and I think it looks good."

Big Athletes, Big Venue

Construction on the Basketball Arena began in October 2009 and was completed within budget back in June. Standing 35 meters tall, the venue’s structure consists of a 1,000-ton steel frame and is one of the largest temporary venues built for any Games.

All doors within the venue are also especially large. Each is an above-average height of 2.4 meters to accommodate the size of the sport'sathletes.

The venue will be taken down in parts after the Games and recycled elsewhere.

A spokesperson for LOCOG confirmed to ATR that organizers were still in "consultation" about where the parts will be going after the Games.

"We are in discussions with Rio 2016 and Glasgow 2014 [the next Commonwealth Games] about whether they will want to use any of the parts. Obviously something like the seats can be used for any sport."

LOCOG also expressed its pleasure at how the test event had run so far, telling ATR organizers had heard nothing but compliments about the venue from the athletes themselves.

"Whilst we haven’t organized any formal feedback sessions, we are in constant discussions with the athletes, who are telling us that they are very satisfied with the playing surface and the facilities," said the spokesperson.

One athlete particularly in awe of the venue was Team Great Britain captain Andrew Sullivan.

"It's pretty impressive; it's just a shame that it's only temporary," he said. "It would be nice if it was going to stay."

Sullivan also spoke of his excitement about playing in front of a home crowd. "The atmosphere was really good," he said about this week's scrimmages each staged in front of 3,000 spectators.

"We're really looking forward to playing here next summer when there are 12,000 people here."

Reported in London by Christian Radnedge.