Gotta win it to be in it – kinda

Still wondering if you should make plans for Beijing? Here’s how the Olympic qualifying works.

Three teams have already secured Olympic berths. Australia (by winning the Worlds in 2006), China (they’re letting them use their gym, so you might as well let them play, too) and South Korea (by winning June’s FIBA Asia Tournament).

Four teams will secure spots by the end of September by winning their own qualifying tournaments while the top finishers from the tournaments will advance to a 12-team tournament two months (June 9-15, 2008) before the Olympics for the final five spots.

The next few posts will be briefs about who’s up for Beijing and when these tournaments take place.