BASKETBALL – BASKETBALL’S global elite will be coming together in Bahrain next year for the Fiba Mid-Term Congress and Fiba Hall of Fame (HOF) traditional ceremony for the Class of 2025.
Preparations for the prestigious events were discussed yesterday in a co-ordination meeting held between the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) and a delegation from Fiba, basketball’s international governing body.
The mid-term congress and HOF ceremony are set to be held under the patronage of Supreme Council for Youth and Sport first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority (GSA) chairman, and BOC president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
It will be the first time ever that such major global events under Fiba’s banner will be staged in the Gulf.
Tourism Minister and Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) board of directors chairperson Fatima Al Sairafi was in attendance during the meeting, along with BOC vice-president Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, BOC secretary general Faris Al Kooheji, GSA CEO Dr Abdulrahman Askar, Bahrain Basketball Association (BBA) president Alaa Mudara, Fiba treasurer and German Basketball Federation president Ingo Weiss, and a number of Fiba and BBA officials.
The Tourism Minister affirmed the advanced position of Bahrain’s sports at all levels and in various fields, including in the hosting and organisation of the most prestigious international and regional sporting events.
Minister Al Sairafi explained that the BTEA is keen to provide all necessary support that contributes to the development of sports tourism in the kingdom, in line with the objectives and pillars of Bahrain’s Tourism Strategy 2022-2026, and took note of the advanced tourism and sports infrastructure in the country.
Shaikh Isa conveyed the greetings of Shaikh Khalid to the Fiba team, pointing out that Shaikh Khalid’s generous patronage is an important and primary factor for the success of the mid-term congress and HOF ceremony – evidence of his continuous backing for the sports movement, particularly for basketball.
Shaikh Isa stressed on the importance of co-operation between the BOC, Fiba, the BBA, and all ministries and government bodies to make the events a success, while appreciating in the same context the confidence of Fiba to award these important occasions to Bahrain. Shaikh Isa said that this confirms the kingdom’s global distinction in hosting all kinds of major sporting events, and noted that the Tourism Ministry and GSA are preparing the ideal environment to support the organisational and promotional aspects of the mid-term congress and HOF ceremony.
The mid-term congress and HOF ceremony are expected to be held in May of next year, with the participation of representatives from Fiba’s 212 member national federations.
A Fiba Mid-Term Congress takes place in the middle of a four-year cycle. Next 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 traditional 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.
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