Oceania to celebrate 50 years of international basketball in October
October 21st 2018 will mark 50 years since the historic decision to officially declare Oceania a zone of FIBA. To celebrate FIBA in Oceania will host a 50th anniversary dinner in October in Sydney, Aus
Southport - On October 21, 1968, 82 national federations assembled for a FIBA World Congress on the eve of the Olympic Basketball Tournament in Mexico city.
Item nine on the Congress's agenda was the formation of a new zone for Oceania. Mr Alistair Ramsay of Australia and Sir Lance Cross of New Zealand spoke to the motion. With no dissenting voices, then FIBA President, Mr Antonio doe Reis Carneiro, declared the approval of the formation of a F.I.B.A Zone Commission for Oceania.
October 21, 2018 will mark 50 years since this historic decision and 50 years of basketball activity in the Oceania region. To celebrate, the FIBA in Oceania board officially launched the 50th Anniversary Celebratory dinner that will take place in Sydney, Australia on Saturday 20th October, 2018.
"This is an event to highlight and celebrate all of the people who have contributed to basketball in Oceania since 1968. It is important that the event reflects the significance of the contribution these people have made," said FIBA Oceania President Burton Shipley.
Guests for the event will include current and former staff and board members, representatives from the 22 FIBA Oceania National Federations, FIBA Commission members and other significant contributors to the development of basketball in Oceania.
The event will provide an opportunity to bring all members of the Oceania family together, with an all-day workshop planned for National Federation members to discuss activities throughout Oceania.
"It is not often that we can bring all 22 national federations together so we look forward to having this opportunity to celebrate 50 years and discuss what we want to implement in the future," said FIBA Oceania Executive Director David Crocker
The Oceania board also launched the logo for the celebrations - with all in agreeance the logo symbolizes the history of the region, in a modern format that reflects the direction of FIBA in Oceania.
The logo uses the green colouring of Oceania as depicted in FIBA events and the Olympic rings with a Pacific island design throughout the design. The island and hoop within the logo are a combination of the two original Oceania Basketball Association logos.
Further information for the event will be provided in detail in the coming weeks.
FIBA