MIES - FIBA Secretary General Emeritus, Borislav Stankovic, and long-time FIBA Treasurer, Manfred Stroher, on Friday received the FIBA Order of Merit.

The distinction is bestowed upon "a person who has distinguished himself/herself in the field of basketball and having rendered exceptional services to sport, either through personal accomplishment or through his/her contributions to the development of basketball or sport in general."

Mr Stankovic has been involved - and experienced success - in most facets of basketball.

As a player, he was a champion of Yugoslavia with Red Star of Belgrade in 1946 and 1947. He played for Yugoslavia's national team 36 times between 1948 and 1953, including at the first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1950.

As a coach, he led the OKK Belgrade team to four Yugoslavian league titles and the Oransoda team to one Italian league title.

Starting in 1953, Mr Stankovic embarked on an illustrious career in sports administration that has spanned seven decades.

In 1960, upon the proposal of FIBA's first Secretary General, Mr Renato William Jones, he was appointed Vice-Secretary General of FIBA. In 1972, he was appointed Deputy Secretary General of FIBA.

He served as the second Secretary General of FIBA, from 1976 to 2002, and was also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Mr Stroher came to prominence in 1963, when, as a 26-year-old, he was put in charge of referees by the German Basketball Federation (DBB), a position he held until 1972. He went on to be elected Vice-President of the DBB (1980-1984) and subsequently its President (1984-1994).

His association with FIBA began in 1964, when he became a member of the Technical Commission.

He served as FIBA's Treasurer from 1994 to 2014 and was a member of FIBA's Central Board from 1980 to 2014. He also presided over FIBA's Finance Commission from 1980 to 1994.

Mr Stroher currently serves as Treasurer of the International Basketball Foundation (IBF).

FIBA