ITA - Meneghin agrees to stand for president

MILAN (FIP) – Dino Meneghin has been serving as commissioner of the Italian Basketball Federation (FIP) since September, when Fausto Maifredi made the surprise announcement that he was stepping down as president.

Now Italy basketball legend Meneghin is ready to run for president when the election is held on February 7.

The regional presidents of the FIP met in Milan over the weekend and officially asked Meneghin to stand for president and he agreed to do so.

"I have accepted to stand for several reasons,” Meneghin said in a statement by the FIP.

“I have found a lot of good faith in my project as well as a common wish to achieve it. We have spoken a lot about schools, and youth teams and that is a good first step to work together in time.

“I have met people that work on a day-to-day basis on the court, that give their best for a common goal.

“With the presidents of the regional committee, we agree on an issue that basketball is to be improved, not rescued.

“We must work to improve it, to attract the biggest number of youngsters, to offer them to the clubs and then to the national team. With all due respect to clubs, the national team is the most important club in Italy."

Italy are among the countries hoping to win the rights to host the men’s 2014 FIBA World Championship.

FIBA