Ashley Green, Sport and Competitions Manager at FIBA, has an interview with a media outlet on April 28. [Photo/ycwb.com]

Guangzhou Gymnasium, a venue for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, will complete its court upgrading project on May 20, readying itself for the international event which will run from Aug 31 to Sept 15 in eight cities across China.

On April 28, Ashley Green, Sport and Competitions manager at FIBA, and national basketball association representatives from countries participating in this year's FIBA Basketball World Cup paid a visit to Guangzhou. The delegation spoke highly of Guangzhou's thorough preparation for the international event.

A total of 32 teams will compete in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, which will be held in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Wuhan, Dongguan, and Foshan.

To meet the standards of FIBA, Guangzhou Gymnasium has invested 35 million yuan ($5.2 million) in the upgrading project. After the upgrading is completed, it will hold warm-up events for the Chinese national men's and women's teams, striving to offer the best competition experience for all players.

Guangzhou is the first Chinese city that Green has visited and this occassion marked his fourth visit to the southern Chinese city and he is looking forward to seeing the changes that the venue is about to undergo.

He said he is happy to see the progress of Guangzhou Gymnasium's upgrading project, whose construction has been attached with great importance by the Guangdong provincial government and the Guangzhou municipal government.

"Guangzhou is a great city and the organizing committee has been really efficient," he said.