BASKETBALL – BAHRAIN is ready to shine under the international sporting spotlight when the kingdom hosts next month the Fiba Mid-Term Congress and Fiba Hall of Fame (HOF) induction ceremony for the Class of 2025.
The two mega events, set to take place under the banner of the International Basketball Federation (Fiba), the game’s worldwide governing body, will bring to the island a record participation of 500 basketball stakeholders representing 180 countries from May 14 to 18.
It will be the first-time ever that such a major Fiba occasion is being held in the Gulf, and Bahrain is eager to capitalise on the opportunity of hosting basketball’s elite.
“Bahrain is now in the mind and lips of every basketball fan,” Cabinet Affairs Ministry Under-Secretary, Olympic Council of Asia vice-president, and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) vice-president Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said last night during a Press conference held at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea and Spa.
“With Bahrain hosting the mid-term congress and HOF ceremony, everyone is speaking about Bahrain. It keeps us on the map globally, and at the same time, we have to take this as a golden opportunity to meet people from all over the world, to get to know their experiences about basketball, and establish partnerships between federations.
“Everyone is coming to Bahrain, and we are excited to welcome them and see them here in the country.”
Shaikh Isa was speaking alongside Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority deputy CEO for projects and resources Dana Osama Alsaad, Fiba Foundation head TJ Bullock, and Fiba senior manager Sebastien Miazza.
Shaikh Isa noted that Bahrain’s keenness to grow its already formidable relationship with Fiba led to the opportunity of hosting the mid-term congress and HOF enshrinement.
“We meet a lot (with Fiba) during events like the Olympics and other competitions around the world, so when we discussed that we want to do a partnership between Bahrain and Fiba, we highlighted some of the important events coming up, and the mid-term congress immediately came up,” Shaikh Isa explained.
“We knew how important it is and how the Kingdom of Bahrain is ready in terms of its infrastructure and facilities.
“We are very happy to have the congress and HOF ceremony here, and it’s really a great pleasure for us.”
Shaikh Isa thanked His Majesty King Hamad and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for their support in hosting the events. Shaikh Isa also expressed his gratitude to His Majesty’s humanitarian work and youth affairs representative and Supreme Council for Youth and Sport (SCYS) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and SCYS first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority (GSA) chairman, and BOC president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Shaikh Isa praised Fiba and Fiba secretary general Andreas Zagklis for their unwavering co-operation in holding the two events in Bahrain, and to the local organising committee for their efforts in putting the occasion together.
Also in attendance at yesterday’s Press conference were GSA CEO Dr Abdulrahman Askar, BOC executive director Ahmed Abdulghaffar, and a number of officials from the Bahrain Basketball Association (BBA).
A Fiba Mid-Term Congress takes place in the middle of a four-year cycle. This year will mark the third time this gathering will be organised, with the first in 2017 in Hong Kong and the second delivered online in 2021.
The HOF induction ceremony for the Class of 2025 will pay tribute to a group of players and coaches who have played key roles in contributing to the global development of basketball.
The events’ organising committee is chaired by Shaikh Isa, and its members include Askar, BOC secretary general Faris Al Kooheji, Public Security Presidency operations director Colonel Hamad Mohammed Al Khayat, and BBA president Alaa Mudara.
The committee also includes representatives from the BTEA and the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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