MIES, Switzerland - The first meeting of the newly-established FIBA Executive Committee took place at the House of Basketball on Monday-Tuesday 24-25 November.
The Executive Committee consists of nine members who were appointed at the first FIBA Central Board meeting for the 2014-2019 term of office.
The main objective for the five-year period is to build one united world basketball family and to grow the game beyond the traditional basketball countries. FIBA's move towards an inclusive and participative management model - as approved at the Extraordinary Congress in March 2014 - will play an integral part in achieving this goal.
The Executive Committee consists of nine members who were appointed at the first FIBA Central Board meeting for the 2014-2019 term of office.
The main objective for the five-year period is to build one united world basketball family and to grow the game beyond the traditional basketball countries. FIBA's move towards an inclusive and participative management model - as approved at the Extraordinary Congress in March 2014 - will play an integral part in achieving this goal.
As a consequence of the FIBA governance changes, the Executive Committee took the following decisions, which will be implemented over time, starting on 1st January 2015:
- Approved the final legal steps for the transformation of the current Zones into Regional Offices and confirmed their locations.
- Upon proposal by FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann, appointed and approved the hiring of five Regional Directors: Mr Alphonse Bile, Regional Director for Africa; Mr Alberto Garcia, Regional Director for the Americas; Mr Hagop Khajirian, Regional Director for Asia; Mr Kamil Novak, Regional Director for Europe; Mr David Crocker, Regional Director for Oceania.
- Approved the feasibility study for a number of development/representation offices across the world in strategic places in order to better serve FIBA’s Member National Federations.
- Confirmed the new FIBA Management Team under the direction of the FIBA Secretary General.
- Approved the merger of all employees of the FIBA Zones and FIBA into one staff team. As the five FIBA Zones (Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania) become Regional Offices of FIBA, their staffs integrate and complete the FIBA staff, which will stand at 152 as of 1st January 2015.
As a next step to these changes, the Executive Committee highlighted the need to reach faster and more effectively the National Member Federations, particularly in view of getting them ready for the start of the new worldwide competition system and calendar as of 2017. Priority will be given to specific development projects in targets regions and countries, in close cooperation with the Regional Offices and Boards.
FIBA President Horacio Muratore said: “We have emphasised the need to help our National Member Federations who deserve particular care. This is a crucial moment for them when they have to join us and help us fulfil our objectives within the larger picture of growing the game worldwide. All changes in governance are driven towards servicing them better and making them grow. The main role of the Regional Offices of FIBA will be to spend more time on the ground with the National Member Federations, while Zone Boards must determine which areas for development need priority from their regional perspective. All together we will find the necessary tools and resources to respond to those needs.”
In light of the efforts carried out globally by the NBA and the positive cooperation between the two organisations, the Executive Committee supports the development and reinforcement of clubs and leagues at both national and international levels. It is also important to ensure they operate in a way consistent with FIBA’s ambitions to grow the game in an efficient and orderly way across the globe and within the countries. The Executive Committee therefore has agreed to go forward and analyse the compliance of National Member Federations with the provisions related to clubs and leagues in FIBA’s General Statutes and Internal Regulations. The nine-person body also decided to provide the necessary resources and support to the European National Member Federations to resolve the difficulties that exist in that continent between national, regional and pan-European club competitions.
The Executive Committee also cleared Basketball Australia (BA) of violating FIBA's Internal Regulations and suspended the Japanese Basketball Association (JBA).
Furthermore, it noted with satisfaction that Basketball Wales has formally confirmed its participation in the British Basketball Federation Project. The current member national federations of FIBA of England, Scotland and Wales will unite in 2016, after the Rio Olympic Games, under one single member national federation only, named the British Basketball Federation.
- Approved the final legal steps for the transformation of the current Zones into Regional Offices and confirmed their locations.
- Upon proposal by FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann, appointed and approved the hiring of five Regional Directors: Mr Alphonse Bile, Regional Director for Africa; Mr Alberto Garcia, Regional Director for the Americas; Mr Hagop Khajirian, Regional Director for Asia; Mr Kamil Novak, Regional Director for Europe; Mr David Crocker, Regional Director for Oceania.
- Approved the feasibility study for a number of development/representation offices across the world in strategic places in order to better serve FIBA’s Member National Federations.
- Confirmed the new FIBA Management Team under the direction of the FIBA Secretary General.
- Approved the merger of all employees of the FIBA Zones and FIBA into one staff team. As the five FIBA Zones (Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania) become Regional Offices of FIBA, their staffs integrate and complete the FIBA staff, which will stand at 152 as of 1st January 2015.
As a next step to these changes, the Executive Committee highlighted the need to reach faster and more effectively the National Member Federations, particularly in view of getting them ready for the start of the new worldwide competition system and calendar as of 2017. Priority will be given to specific development projects in targets regions and countries, in close cooperation with the Regional Offices and Boards.
FIBA President Horacio Muratore said: “We have emphasised the need to help our National Member Federations who deserve particular care. This is a crucial moment for them when they have to join us and help us fulfil our objectives within the larger picture of growing the game worldwide. All changes in governance are driven towards servicing them better and making them grow. The main role of the Regional Offices of FIBA will be to spend more time on the ground with the National Member Federations, while Zone Boards must determine which areas for development need priority from their regional perspective. All together we will find the necessary tools and resources to respond to those needs.”
In light of the efforts carried out globally by the NBA and the positive cooperation between the two organisations, the Executive Committee supports the development and reinforcement of clubs and leagues at both national and international levels. It is also important to ensure they operate in a way consistent with FIBA’s ambitions to grow the game in an efficient and orderly way across the globe and within the countries. The Executive Committee therefore has agreed to go forward and analyse the compliance of National Member Federations with the provisions related to clubs and leagues in FIBA’s General Statutes and Internal Regulations. The nine-person body also decided to provide the necessary resources and support to the European National Member Federations to resolve the difficulties that exist in that continent between national, regional and pan-European club competitions.
The Executive Committee also cleared Basketball Australia (BA) of violating FIBA's Internal Regulations and suspended the Japanese Basketball Association (JBA).
Furthermore, it noted with satisfaction that Basketball Wales has formally confirmed its participation in the British Basketball Federation Project. The current member national federations of FIBA of England, Scotland and Wales will unite in 2016, after the Rio Olympic Games, under one single member national federation only, named the British Basketball Federation.
By: Editor
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