International Basketball Federation
| International Basketball Federation Fédération Internationale de Basketball |
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| Motto | We Are Basketball |
|---|---|
| Formation | June 18 1932 |
| Type | Sport federation |
| Headquarters | Geneva, Switzerland |
| Membership | 213 national federations |
| Secretary General | Patrick Baumann |
| President | Bob Elphinston |
| Website | http://www.fiba.com |
The International Basketball Federation (French: Fédération Internationale de
Basketball), more commonly known by the French acronym FIBA (pronounced
[ˈfibʌ]), is an association of national organizations which governs
international competition in basketball. Originally known as the Fédération Internationale
de Basketball Amateur (hence FIBA), in 1989 it dropped the Amateur from its
official name but retained the initialism, because of the first two letters of
the word basketball.
The FIBA defines the international rules of basketball, specifies the equipment and facilities required, regulates the transfer of athletes across countries, and controls the appointment of international referees. 213 national federations are now members, organized since 1989 into five zones or "commissions": Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.
The History on FIBA
The association was founded in Geneva in 1932, two years after the sport was officially recognized by the IOC. Its original name was Fédération Internationale de Basketball Amateur. Eight nations were founding members: Argentina, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, and Switzerland. During the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, the Federation named James Naismith (1861-1939), the founder of basketball, as its Honorary President.
FIBA has organized a World Championship for men since 1950 and a World Championship for Women since 1953. Both events are now held every four years, alternating with the Olympics.
In 1989, FIBA opened the door to Olympic participation by professionals such as players from the NBA in the United States. At this point, the Fédération Internationale de Basketball Amateur became the Fédération Internationale de Basketball, but retained FIBA as an abbreviation.
The Federation headquarters moved to Munich in 1956, then returned to Geneva in 2002. Patrick Baumann is the Secretary General of FIBA.
In 1991 it founded FIBA Hall of Fame, the first induction ceremony will be held on September 12, 2007 during EuroBasket 2007.
Tournaments
Current champions:
National teams
| Tournament | Men's | Women's | U-21 Men's | U-21 Women's | U-19 Men's | U-19 Women's |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympics |  Argentina |
 USA |
N/A | |||
| World Championships |  Spain |
 Australia |
 Lithuania |
USA |
 Serbia |
USA |
| Commission | Men's | Women's | U-20 Men's | U-20 Women's | U-18 Men's | U-18 Women's |
| FIBA Africa |  Angola |
 Mali |
 Nigeria |
Mali |
Nigeria |
Mali |
| FIBA Americas | USA |
USA |
USA |
USA |
USA |
USA |
| FIBA Asia |  Iran |
 Korea |
N/A |  China |
N/A | China |
| FIBA Europe |  Russia |
Russia |
Serbia |
Russia |
Serbia |
Spain |
| FIBA Oceania | Australia |
Australia |
 New Zealand |
N/A | N/A | N/A |
Clubs
| Tournament | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| NBA |
San Antonio Spurs |
Phoenix Mercury |
| Euroleague |  Panathinaikos |
Spartak
Moscow Region |
| ULEB Cup | Real Madrid |
N/A |
| Asian Champions Cup | Saba
Battery BC |
N/A |
| Liga Sudamericana | Libertad de Sunchales |
N/A |
| Africa Cup of Clubs | Petro Luanda |
|
| NBL | Brisbane Bullets |
Canberra Capitals |
N/A
FIBA World Rankings
- Further information: FIBA World Rankings
- #1 men's team:
USA - #1 women's team: USA
- #1 combined ranking: United States
External links
- FIBA official site
- InterBasket - International Basketball News and Forum, covering Euroleague, NBA and more...
- History of amateur and professional basketball in Canada at Frozen Hoops
- ThePlayersForum.com - Site dedicated to helping sports players achieve their dream of playing internationally
- TalkBasket - Basketball news and discussions
- MediaZone - Official Broadband Provider site
References
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
