FIBA Oceania - Secretary General Steve Smith to retire

Statement released by FIBA Oceania President and International Basketball Foundation (IBF) President Bob Elphinston

COFFS HARBOUR - The FIBA Oceania Board has decided to relocate the FIBA Oceania office from Coffs Harbour to an east coast capital city (preferably Sydney), which will better serve travel to and from the Oceania basketball community, be more attractive for future staff employment and provide closer liaison with key stakeholders.

Long-serving Secretary General Steve Smith will cease his employment with FIBA Oceania in December 2013.

Steve Smith was appointed Deputy Secretary General in 1994, becoming the first paid employee of the Oceania Basketball Confederation and in 1997 he succeeded Al Ramsay as Secretary General, a position he has now held for 16 years.

During his 19-year employment with FIBA Oceania, Steve has crisscrossed the Pacific, growing the game of basketball throughout the 21 member national federations.

Steve Smith is a member of the FIBA Central Board, currently the Deputy Chairman of the FIBA Membership Commission and has been a member of the FIBA Jury at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games as well as the 2002 and 2006 FIBA Men’s World Championships.

Al Ramsay, Honorary FIBA Oceania President for Life, paid tribute to Steve Smith, saying: "Steve has taken FIBA Oceania to the next level of professionalism, implementing a program of development which includes appointing locally based, full-time National Basketball Development Officers and Zone Development Officers supported by a Zone Development Manager."

FIBA Oceania President Bob Elphinston said: "Steve Smith has made a significant contribution to the steady growth of basketball in the Pacific area bringing expertise and experience in all facets of the game to the developing Federations of Oceania."

FIBA Oceania is a highly-regarded organisation within the Oceania sports family and much of the credit is due to the untiring efforts of Steve over many years.

Secretary General Smith said: "I hope that the initiatives created during my time with FIBA Oceania, through the efforts of many different contributors, will prove to be lasting legacies for the organisation.

· The commencement of talent identification and development programs across the region, in collaboration with the President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches (WABC), Patrick Hunt,
· The creation and development of the Pacific Youth Basketball Championships,
· The implementation of the Pacific All Star tours,
· The Referees exchange program with FIBA Europe and the NBA,
· The enhancement of the basketball competition at the Pacific Games,
· The world leading inclusion of WABC player and coach clinics at FIBA Oceania events,
· The development of the FIBA Organizer in conjunction with SportingPulse,
· The inclusion of social education programs at our events such as AIDS/HIV awareness and the dangers and ethics of Doping in Sport,
· Developing a relationship with the Oceania National Olympic Committees culminating in their regular and significant financial support for our programs,
· Enhancing the relationship with the Australian Government, especially the Australian Sports Commission, which has recently resulted in $1.6 million support for participation programs in Pacific Island countries under the Pacific Sports Partnerships program,
· The development of officiating and coaching in Pacific Island countries so that teams at our events are coached by home grown coaches and our events are officiated by home grown referees.
· The creation of basketball employment in 10 Pacific Island countries,
· The transformation of the Oceania Basketball Confederation into FIBA Oceania,

These are all important aspects of the growth of our sport across the region over the last 20 years. I hope the next phase of the development of FIBA Oceania will build on the foundations created during my term and of the efforts of those who helped me and those who preceded me."

In his voluntary role as the inaugural President of the Organisation of Sports Federations of Oceania (OSFO), representing more than 35 Oceania sporting federations, Steve has enthused and led OSFO to become a valuable arm of sports development in the Oceania region working closely with the Oceania National Olympic Committee, the Pacific Games Council and the Australian Sports Commission.

Patrick Baumann, FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member, praised the efforts of Steve Smith, in working with many of the smallest and less developed federations within the 213 member FIBA family, stimulating basketball participation so that it has become one of the most popular sports in the Oceania region.

"Steve has been a vocal and enthusiastic participant at all levels of the FIBA family and we thank him for his unselfish contribution over the past 19 years," he said.

Judy Smith, FIBA Oceania Special Projects and Administration Manager for the past 15 years, will also retire in December 2013.

Judy has played a major and pioneering role:
· In securing Australian Government funding for many Oceania initiatives, most noticeably for the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) program, the Australian Fellowship Program and the Pacific Sports Partnership;
· In the management of Oceania competitions;
· The management of FIBA Foreign Player Licenses for the leagues in Australia and New Zealand;
· The roll out of the FIBA Digital Program in cooperation with SportingPulse;
· The organisation and management of the successful All Star tours;
· The organisation of federation and NBDO training courses.

President Elphinston said: "Judy Smith is a highly respected sports administrator who has made a major contribution to the sport of basketball across the Oceania Zone."

FIBA Oceania will suitably honour Steve and Judy Smith at their Congress in May/June 2014.

Issued by Bob Elphinston, President of FIBA Oceania, on behalf of the Board of Management. 21 August 2013

FIBA