SYDNEY (Australia) – The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 hosted an enlightening Global Women in Leadership Forum which will help to deliver on FIBA's strategic priority of Women in Basketball.

Feedback from the event, which included several keynote speakers and panel discussions on a range of topics, was overwhelmingly positive. There was a real buzz both during and afterwards about the opportunities which lie ahead for the women's game.

Zoe Hayes, Head of Consumer Apps and Sports Partnerships Marketing for Google AUNZ, was a hugely popular speaker and a welcome addition to the debate. Google recently became FIBA's first-ever Global Partner of Women's Basketball and the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup.

She said: "We recognize there is a huge opportunity to achieve a positive impact through our investment and via our product.

"We had so many great discussions from all different areas and it was a really inspiring agenda.

"Accessibility is the main point we can focus on, as well as this opportunity that we have for basketball and for women's sports in the future."

Zoe Hayes, Head of Consumer Apps and Sports Partnerships Marketing for Google AUNZ

Kylie Watson-Wheeler, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, The Walt Disney Company Australia & New Zealand, Head of ESPN/National Geographic, APAC also participated in the panel discussion on the value proposition of women's sport in broadcast, partnerships and brand. 

Keynote speeches were delivered by Carol Callan, FIBA Americas President and Lena Wallin-Kantzy, FIBA Competitions Commission - Women in Basketball, Deputy Chair on FIBA's Women in Basketball strategic priority.  

FIBA Americas President Carol Callan also referenced the emphasis on accessibility and opportunity. 

"Sometimes in basketball you talk about the same things, but what this kind of forum does is provide this ‘aha’ moment, when someone from outside, like Zoe, makes a comment or gives an idea," mused Callan.

"I thought listening to her, as Google's representative, gave a very clear nod to the power of accessibility and a discovery for people out there of women's basketball and female sport in general.

"That's the real beauty of the women in our game, they are so approachable and they will be so honest and we need to harness that power by getting the human and inspiring stories out there."

Carol Callan, FIBA Americas President

Panel discussions also took place with various speakers including Liz Mills former Head Coach of the Kenyan Men's National Basketball team; Carrie Graf former Head Coach of the Australian Opals team; Amy Bonner FIBA WNBA NCAA Referee; and Jan Stirling Executive GM High Performance Basketball Australia.  

Panel discussion on the topic of 'Breaking down barriers for women & girls' participation globally'.

Finally, FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis praised the importance of the event and was grateful to have taken some ideas away from the Forum.

He said: "We had some great discussions and we heard many interesting things. Definitely one of the lines I take now is that sometimes young women have to see, in order to be.

"We had already identified the need to have women's basketball as one of our strategic pillars, but we know after discussions like this, how much of a necessity it is to grow as our players want us to.

"Sometimes it's easier to put something on the agenda than to push the agenda, but I have the feeling we are bringing some change and we are feeling it with the numbers - even if it is also a qualitative exercise.

"I feel honored to have been part of the Forum and to listen to all these ideas for how we grow in the future," concluded Zagklis.

FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis

Click here to view the full program.

FIBA