Singapore Doubles Down On Sustainability Drive For FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup

3×3 basketball seeks to provide fans of the sport with a parallel to the game that most fans and athletes played during their younger years, and FIBA decided to take it to the next level in the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore.

13 years later, the FIBA 3×3 is back in the Southeast Asian nation with the 2023 edition of the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup where men and women from 24 countries all vie for the right to be called the best halfcourt ballers in the region.

The event is currently in its third day of action with 40 games having been played through the two-day qualification phase and is now in the main draw with 32 teams (16 men’s, 16 women’s) advancing to the next stage.

As it is in its full-fledged cousin, 3×3 basketball has its favorites to win it all and the men’s division has three-time defending champions New Zealand as the likeliest to take home the gold

However, last year’s No. 1 seed Mongolia, the ever-present Philippines, 2022 runner-up New Zealand and second runner-up China are hot on their heels this time.

In the women’s division, China is on track to repeat their historic 2022 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup run, though heavyweights like 2022 second-place Australia, Japan, Mongolia, and New Zealand just might pull off stunning upsets.

The fast-paced and streetball-esque nature of 3×3 basketball is what makes the variation of the sport such a joy to watch and there is almost always a chance of an upset waiting to happen at any given game.

Outside of the on-court action, event organizers Sport Singapore (SportSG) and Singapore Sports Hub made a push for the country’s sustainability initiatives that “prioritizes eco-friendly options and drive outreach efforts to raise environmental awareness,” as per the official press release acquired by the International Business Times.

The organizers encouraged all athletes to partake in Singapore’s public transport to the competition and training venue at the Singapore Sports Hub’s OCBC Square where all athletes, event officials, and volunteers were issued with pre-loaded EZ Link cards.

Water dispensers have also been made available throughout the venue for both players and onlookers to refill their water bottles while biodegradable containers have been used as the main packaging for food to be consumed by athletes.

Organizing committee chairman and SportSG chief Marcus Tan had the following to say about their push for their sustainability efforts.

“FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup continues to serve as a model for sustainable sporting events in Singapore. Aligned to the theme of ‘Reducing and Reusing through Sport,’ we hope that the efforts we’ve taken to minimize our carbon footprint, reduce waste and increase outreach efforts inspire individuals and organizations to live, work and play sustainably.”