Finals of the Village Basketball Competition of China, known as "CunBA," tipped off on Wednesday in Taipan Village, Taijiang County of southwest China's Guizhou Province.
Players of Team Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture and Team Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture compete during their match at the China's Village Basketball Competition in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Tao Liang)
The first game of the group stage starts at 2:30 p.m.. Eight teams nationwide will compete in 16 matches across four days.
According to the latest rules released by the organizing committee, players, public officials or students who have registered in the CBA, NBL and Chinese 3x3 Basketball leagues are not allowed to participate in the finals.
"We need to understand why everyone participates in the 'Village Basketball Competition', which is by no means a network platform nor a place for profit. This is a big stage that belongs to the farmers in beautiful countryside, and this principle cannot be changed," said Zhou Hu, director of the Farmers' Sports Guidance Center of the China Farmers' Sports Association.
Zhou added that the finals will strictly clarify the identity of players, aiming to make the "CunBA" truly become a great sports gala that people are pleased to watch.
The finals are guided by the Rural Social Undertakings Promotion Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Mass Sports Department of the General Administration of Sports, and hosted by the Chinese Farmers' Sports Association and the Mass Sports Department of the All-China Sports Federation.
Since the launch of this year's tournament, the fever of "CunBA" basketball games have swept the country and overseas, attracting millions of people's attention. The success of this game also gathered popularity and added vitality to local development, helping to create a more beautiful rural environment and enriching people's spiritual lives.
