NBA to cut season to allow players to compete in Tokyo - IOC

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SHOWS: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 11, 2020) (REUTERS/IOC - ACCESS ALL) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH, ON NBA PLAYERS TAKING PART IN TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES, SAYING: "Then we received there today, the very good news that the owners of the NBA teams have agreed with their players' association on an early and shortened NBA season starting on 22nd of December. This will allow the best basketball players of the world to play at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. This is what the players want. This is what the Olympic movement wants and this is what many NOCs (National Olympic Committees), of course the qualified NOCs in basketball want very much. So, it's excellent news and shows the excellent cooperation that we enjoy between the IOC, NBA and FIBA and which is ongoing in this way already for a couple of years." STORY: Team owners and the NBA players' association have agreed on a shortened season to allow players from the world's best league to compete in next year's Tokyo Olympic Games, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said on Wednesday (November 11). "The owners of NBA teams have agreed with the players' association on an early and shortened NBA season starting on Dec. 22," Bach told a news conference. "This will allow the best basketball players to play at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. "This is what the players want. This is what the movement wants and may National Olympic Committees want very much. It is excellent news." The Tokyo Games were due to be held in 2020 but were postponed to start in July 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Production: Stefan Haskins and Ursa Presern)

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