FIBA President Muratore praises progress on National Federation support and development

MIES - Now in his third year at the helm, FIBA President Horacio Muratore is delighted with the progress of the Working Group which is driving support and development for National Federations around the globe.

Taking time out to speak to FIBA.com and reflect on one of his key projects during his first two years of office, Muratore reiterated the importance of the Working Group and its potential impact.

FIBA: You are chairing one of the most important projects in terms of this Working Group on National Federation support and development. How do you feel it is progressing?
Muratore: Supporting and developing our National Federations is our core mission at FIBA and I have put an emphasis on this project ever since my election in 2014. The Working Group met in October and I'm really happy with the work which has been carried out over the last 18 months. Besides the preparation activities to get our members ready for the New Competition System, 157 National Federations have been visited and assessed to date. Our objective is to finish all the visits by the end of March and April [2017], before the mid-term Congress. But the work does not finish there and following these visits, FIBA will develop strategies for growth.

How will the development of these strategies for growth take place?
Muratore: We will try to classify Federations in different groups, based on various criteria and we will try to focus on those groups where growth potential is high and realistic to achieve. The International Basketball Foundation (IBF) will be involved with the smaller and less developed Federations. We will assist the National Federations in implementing development programmes and we will follow up on a regular basis. These programmes will address not only the sport itself, but also issues such as governance, coaching, refereeing, administration, equipment, venues, promotion and wider commercial opportunities. We need to look at the long-term development of our National Federations.

So, this will enhance the already close and productive collaboration with the Regional Offices?
Muratore: Absolutely. As a general principle, FIBA's Headquarters [in Mies] is responsible for creating the development programmes, training the Regional Development Officers on each programme, setting up objectives and following-up on the progresses. FIBA's Regional Offices will implement each development programme and suggest improvements on those based on their experience on the ground. For example, in relation to its format and any related tools.

Besides these programmes, is FIBA developing more tangible materials to help the development of the game?
Muratore: Yes, of course. One such important tool to help our National Federations is the new Coaches Manual. The World Association of Basketball Coaches (WABC), in association with FIBA, have released a new and improved edition. It's a great document for all basketball coaches around the world and it's free. To ensure we can spread its usage as much as possible around the globe, it will be translated into Arabic, Chinese, French, Hindu, Portuguese and Spanish. The release of the Coaches Manual marks the starting point in a complete review of those coaching education and development resources which are currently in place around the world.

FIBA