TORONTO - On the eve of the opening day of the 2015 Toronto Pan American Games, the Association of the Pan American Sports Confederation (ACODEPA) conducted their Congress, where FIBA Americas President Mr Usie Richards was elected Member of the organisation's Executive Board for the 2015-2019 term.

The Pan American Sports Confederations Association (ACODEPA), is an international sports organisation recognised by the Pan American Sports Organization (ODEPA). The members who make up ACODEPA are the Pan American Sports Confederations or continental sports organisations with recognition of their respective International Federations, which in turn have the recognition of the International Olympic Committee.

After being elected to this new role, Mr Richards stated: "I am grateful for the opportunity to support the development of sports in our region, but more importantly, to have the opportunity to advocate on behalf of one of the largest stakeholders in these events, basketball. I truly believe that the strides made over the past years in creating and implementing our One FIBA Family governance, is a significant experience that can contribute to the growth of the ACODEPA."

Mr Richards adds a new role to a public service career that includes more than 17 years in the field of Health Administration and Planning; 22 years in elected public office as a Member of the Virgin Islands Election System and the Virgin Islands Legislature.

He served 10 years as a Senator integrating various roles in the process such as President of the Legislature, Chairman of the Committee on Rules and the Judiciary; Chairman of the Committee on Labor and Agriculture; Chairman of the Committee on Health and Human Services; and two terms as the Senate Minority Leader.

As a sports enthusiast, he began his involvement in basketball as the Public Relations Officer of the District Association in 1978. He became the Vice-President and President of the Virgin Islands National Federation from 1978 to 2014. Additionally, he served for 10 years as the President of the Caribbean Basketball Confederation and 12 years as the organisation's Secretary-General (2002-2014) and 12 years as the Vice-President of the Central American and Caribbean Basketball Confederation.

As well as being the the President of FIBA Americas, Richards is currently the Vice Chairman of the Governance Commission of FIBA, a member of the FIBA Central Board and of FIBA's Legal Commission.

The FIBA Americas President and new ACODEPA Executive Board Member concluded by saying: "I would like to thank our FIBA Americas Executive Director, Alberto Garcia, for his encouragement to seek the nomination, our FIBA Secretary General, Patrick Bauman, for the endorsement of the nomination, and our own President of the Central American and Caribbean Sub-Zone, Ruperto Herrera, for his support during the ACODEPA Congress."

FIBA