BASKETBALL – A RECORD-BREAKING number of delegates for a Fiba Mid-Term Congress were in attendance at the prestigious Exhibition World Bahrain yesterday, Fiba reported on its website.
The plenary session took place in the morning, and an array of new services for national federations was presented in the afternoon session.
The event was attended by Bahrain Olympic Committee vice president, Olympic Council of Asia vice president and Fiba Foundation board member Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa.
Additionally, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach contributed with welcome remarks via a video, followed by an address from Fiba president Sheikh Saud Ali Al Thani. He reminded the audience of the incredible momentum the sport is experiencing while heading towards the next Fiba Basketball World Cup 2027 in Qatar.
Fiba secretary general Andreas Zagklis provided an update to delegates on Fiba’s strategy for the current cycle, while also continuing the theme of highlighting the sport’s soaring popularity. This included the success and exposure it enjoyed in the lead up to and at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games – as well as the eye-catching growth of the women’s game.
Speaking after the congress, Zagklis stated: “We sincerely thank Bahrain for their exceptional hosting of this Fiba Mid-Term Congress and also thank the record number of national federations who took part in the meeting.
“It’s very rewarding to be able to reflect on the success of our sport alongside so many representatives of the Fiba family – especially as we continue to witness basketball’s popularity, growth and impact worldwide. But most importantly, being able to look forward with real excitement at how we can continue this global trend, which is why we are very pleased to be delivering new services to the national federations.
“We are also now ready for some interesting discussions in our breakout sessions tomorrow, when we turn our collective focus to key areas such as women in basketball, 3x3, the Fiba Plus programme, and other topics.”
Meanwhile, for the first time, 14 Fiba competition trophies were on display at the event, and the impressive silverware collection underlined the sport’s global nature and the importance of this year’s various continental cups and U19 world cups.
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