BASKETBALL – THE International Basketball Federation (Fiba) held its biannual congress in Manama yesterday, making the kingdom the first Middle Eastern nation to host the event.
The meeting, which ends on Sunday, will be attended by over 500 leading personalities, including top officials and representatives from national federations from 180 nations.
The Fiba’s Central Board meeting which started yesterday will continue today. The coming days will see specialised sessions for technical and administrative committees, coordination meetings among national federations, and the main general assembly at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre in Sakhir.
Additionally, a special programme – the Fiba Hall of Fame 2025 Ceremony – will be held at the Bahrain National Theatre.
Tourism Minister Fatima Al Sairafi said hosting the Fiba meeting aligns with Bahrain’s Tourism Strategy 2022–2026, which stresses sports as a key pillar of growth in the kingdom.
She further added that Fiba events act as effective platforms to showcase Bahrain’s diverse tourism, cultural, and economic developments.
Bahrain Olympic Committee secretary general Faris Al Kooheji stated that hosting the congress strengthened Bahrain’s position in the global sports arena.
He highlighted Bahrain’s state-of-the-art facilities, robust infrastructure, and efficient logistical services that help host high-profile sports meetings.
The Bahrain Basketball Association has made elaborate arrangements to meet Fiba’s requirements to host the global meet, he observed.
Fiba projects director Sebastian Miazza stated that record number of nations are participating in the congress and said that Bahrain holds a vital place in Fiba’s global agenda due to the strong support extended by the government to sports.
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