The Japan Basketball Association said Monday it will not send Akatsuki Japan's American head coach Tom Hovasse and coach Corey Gaines to Iran for their FIBA World Cup second-round qualifier in Tehran on Aug. 25.
The JBA cited the U.S. government's ban on travel to Iran, among other reasons, in taking the decision. Its secretary general Yasuo Hamatake stated that it has "judged it is difficult to guarantee their 100 percent safety."
Coach Norio Sassa will stand in for the head coach role at the Iran game, the JBA said.
Hovasse coached Japan's women to Olympic silver last summer in Tokyo. Japan will cohost the men's World Cup next year with Indonesia and the Philippines.
