MINSK (FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2018) - FIBA President Horacio Muratore has expressed his delight that Belarus has proven, as expected, that it can organize very important tournaments by delivering a successful staging of the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup.

"Everything has been organized marvelously well," he said. "I would like to congratulate the Belarus Basketball Federation (BBF) and Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for all their hard work and a job that's been exceptionally well done. They have had a terrific rapport with all our FIBA operations staff. They have made them feel very much at home here."

The Argentinian, who is in the Belarusian capital for the culmination of the tournament's fifth edition went on:  "It has been an immense pleasure for us to be able to organize this tournament here in Minsk, Belarus. We have always seen the Belarus women play at a very high standard. They have always participated in all our sports events."

"I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE BELARUS BASKETBALL FEDERATION AND LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK AND A JOB THAT'S BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY WELL DONE"- Muratore

 One impact of hosting the tournament, Muratore anticipates, will be the spark that is given to basketball in the country.

"Holding this tournament here has a multiplying effect for the grassroots development," he said. "We want basketball to develop in Belarus and that it also has a spin-off effect for all in an aim to attain continuity. It is truly an immense pleasure for us to be here and for me personally too since it is my first time here."

Belarus has been a great headline makers of women's national team basketball for more than a decade. They captured the imagination of international hoops fans when they rose from obscurity to finish third at FIBA EuroBasket 2007 Women and qualify for the following year's Olympics in Beijing. They have been present at FIBA's top women's competitions since, including the Women's World Cups in 2010 - where they finished fourth - and 2014 as well as the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Reflecting on past U17 Women's World Cups, Muratore says he has been encouraged by much of what he's seen in Minsk for basketball.

"I am satisfied with the improved level of play. The work of generations now shows," he said. "I was delighted to see many more women coaches and more women referees. That precisely should be our goal. Women should be on the court playing, coaching teams and officiating games. If we manage all this together, we will then be able to take women's basketball further."

Also present in Minsk to catch the action are: FIBA Africa President and FIBA Vice-President Hamane Niang; FIBA Europe President and FIBA Executive Committee member Turgay Demirel; FIBA Europe Vice-President and FIBA Central Board member Cyriel Coomans; FIBA Executive Committee and Central Board member Lena Wallin-Kantzy.

FIBA