FIBA Executive Committee focus on important year ahead
The FIBA Executive Committee convened today for their first meeting of 2023, an important year on the international basketball calendar, with the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 tipping off on August 25 across the three host nations of the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
The following key topics were discussed during the meeting:
FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and Qualifiers
The Executive Committee received a report on preparations for the final window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Qualifiers, which are set to be played across the four FIBA regions of Africa, Americas, Asia and Europe from February 23 to 27. To protect the integrity of the competition, several games of the last game day have been scheduled to be played at the same time.
Status reports were also received on preparations for the upcoming World Cup, including the Draw, taking place in the Philippines capital of Manila on April 29.
FIBA Women’s Continental Cups
Reports were received on the preparations for the upcoming FIBA Women’s Continental Cups, which are to be played in June with the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2023 and FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2023 and July and August with the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup and FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2023. These events will qualify teams to the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments as well as to the newly created FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Pre-Qualifiers that will be played for the first time with 16 teams in the summer of 2024.
Additionally, following a recommendation from the Competitions Commission, FIBA’s Executive Committee has approved the implementation of a Player Experience Program. Based on a “Players First” approach and focusing on enhancing players’ physical, emotional, and digital experiences during all aspects of their participation in a FIBA event (arrive – establish – prepare – compete – enjoy – depart), the principles of the program have been developed in view of an unprecedented investment into the Players’ Experience for the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
Club Competitions
Status updates were presented to the Executive Committee on FIBA’s Club Competitions, the Basketball Champions League (BCL), the Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA), the upcoming Basketball Africa League (BAL) and the inaugural season of FIBA’s newest club competition, the West Asia Super League (WASL) being played in West Asia and the Gulf regions. The launch of the Youth Basketball Champions League, a prime standalone pan-European competition for U18 teams, was also announced last month. The pinnacle event of the FIBA club competition network, the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, will be celebrated next week in Tenerife, Spain.
3×3
The Executive Committee received reports on 3×3’s National Teams competitions and the professional circuit, with the first official event for the 2023 season tipping off on March 29 in Singapore with the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup.
Strategic Objectives
Status reports on FIBA’s three strategic priorities of Empower National Federations, Women in Basketball and Enlarge FIBA Family were presented to the Executive Committee.
Other matters
With regard to the war in Ukraine, FIBA’s Executive Committee confirmed the implementation of the Central Board decision of last December and endorsed the recent support provided by FIBA to the Basketball Federation of Ukraine in respect of their efforts to qualify for the 3×3 Basketball tournaments at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. FIBA has taken note of the recent announcements by the IOC and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and will continue participating in the consultation process, considering the Central Board decisions and the specificities applicable to basketball as a team sport.