SBP president Al Panlilio (left) gives FIBA president Hamane Niang and his wife a warm welcome during his arrival last Saturday for the FIBA Central Board meeting and the FIBA Congress. | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SBP
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is set to roll out the red carpet for the most distinguished basketball executives in the world when it hosts the FIBA Congress Manila 2023 on Wednesday and Thursday at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila.
No less than FIBA president Hamane Niang will spearhead the two-day affair in which the world-governing body will plot the future of basketball as a global sport.
A former Minister of Youth and Sports of Mali, the 71-year-old Niang landed in Manila on Saturday and was warmly welcomed by SBP president Al Panlilio.
The last time Niang was in the country was during the FIBA Basketball World Cup draw last April in which he and other members of the Central Board, including secretary general Andreas Zagklis, had an audience with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. at Malacañang.
Niang and other members of the Central Board had a dinner with Panlilio and SBP chairman emeritus Manny Pangilinan on Monday before gracing the FIBA Central Board meeting on Tuesday.
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"The whole (FIBA) Congress will be convening before the actual games on 25 August," Panlilio said.
A total of 350 cage executives from around the world are expected to show up in the FIBA Congress with Philippine Sports Commission chairperson Richard "Dickie" Bachmann delivering the welcome remarks.
Breakout sessions to further empower the national federations to strengthen their respective programs that are all aligned with FIBA's goals will be discussed on the second day.
Focus of the discussions will be on the FIBA PLUS Fundamentals, which is a program that supports the empowerment of national federations through interactive seminars, as well as Basketball for Good, a program that aims to empower, educate and inspire the youth.
Preceding the FIBA Congress will be the FIBA Hall of Fame Induction ceremony on Wednesday night with Filipino cage legend Carlos "Caloy" Lastimosa set to be enshrined together with the giants of Asian basketball like Yao Ming of China, Sony Hendrawan of Indonesia and Yuko Oga of Japan.
