GOLD COAST (Australia) – The 2019-2023 FIBA Oceania Board held its 2020 year-end meeting this week through a video conference call to assess the year-long activities and reports of the Zone in preparation for 2021.

The Board meeting was attended by FIBA President Hamane Niang, FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zaglis, Senior Director Markus Studer, FIBA Oceania President Burton Shipley, FIBA Central Board Members Karo Lelai and David Reid with FIBA Oceania Board members Jubilee Kuartei, Greg Williamson, Frank Cruz, and Hans Tuahivaatetonohiti.

Also in attendance were FIBA in Oceania Executive Director David Crocker, Senior Manager Amanda Jenkins, and Sports Administration Associate Rachel Perotti.

Shipley shared the President’s report, laying down the process on how the Zone still thrived through adversities of the challenging 2020 marred by the pandemic.

“This year has been a challenging but rewarding year. We commend all the national federations’ great efforts during a year of COVID-19 unlike any other. Moreover, we paid gratitude to the hardworking and dedicated staff from the ground up in assuring our stability and continuous development,” stated Shipley.

Niang echoed the recommendable hardships and sacrifices of all the staff from different Zones and different ranks across the globe that put FIBA on the pedestal as a model International Federation in the time of the pandemic.

“This 2020 has been a difficult year yet during this time, the FIBA has been a leader in its response to the pandemic being the first International Federation (IF) to stop all competitions. FIBA has partnered with WHO in providing each National Federation (NF) an established and strict set of protocols. Under this, FIBA also rose as the first IF to resume competitions,” said Niang.

The Zone Board discussed the events and activities that it managed to hold amid the tests of the pandemic, 2020 Budget, 2021 Planning, and Budget Process, 2020 and 2021 FIBA Competitions and the future FIBA events hosting of Oceania countries including the FIBA Women’s World Cup 2022 in Australia.

Hosts of the FIBA Melanesia Cup 2021 (Fiji), FIBA Polynesia Cup 2021 (Samoa), and Pacific Games 2023 (Solomon Islands) have also been named.

STRATEGIC PLAN

The Zone Board approved and praised the strategies set and conducted by FIBA Oceania in continuing to hold programs and events amid the pandemic especially on 3x3 basketball. The Zone will focus on these developments in different National Federations as the world gradually returns to normal in 2021. New initiatives have also been set with Guam being part of the pilot FIBA Plus Plus Strategy Planning Program.

COMPETITIONS REVIEW

The Zone Board reviewed the work of the Zone in staging local competitions and participating in international competitions including the Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament, FIBA U17 World Skills Challenge, and the FIBA Men’s Asia Cup Qualifiers 2021.

The Zone, represented by Australia, Guam, and New Zealand, are set to continue their Asia Cup Qualifiers campaign this February in the last window inside the bubble in Clark, Philippines to punch a ticket to the FIBA Asia Cup 2021.

The Zone Board has also expressed the smooth progress of the preparations for the FIBA Women's’ World Cup 2022 in Australia with a four-level approach to the Legacy.

Meanwhile, the majority of the NFs experienced lockdowns due to the pandemic and led to the FIBA U-15 Oceania Championships in Papua New Guinea unable to be played.

FIBA