PR N°11 - Inauguration of the FIBA Hall of Fame

GENEVA (FIBA Hall of Fame) - We hereby remind you that tomorrow (Thursday, 1st March) morning the FIBA Hall of Fame will be inaugurated in Alcobendas (Madrid, Spain) to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the foundation of FIBA.

The official inauguration of the FIBA Hall of Fame will be done by the Mayor of Alcobendas, Mr. José Caballero, and in presence of the Spanish Secretary of State for Sports, Mr. Jaime Lissavetzky, FIBA's President, Mr. Bob Elphinston, FIBA's Secretary General, Mr. Patrick Baumann, FIBA's Secretary General Emeritus, Mr. Borislav Stankovic, and the complete FIBA Central Board.

The FIBA Hall of Fame has been built with the help of the city of Alcobendas and upon initiative of Mr. Pedro Ferrándiz, legendary coach of Real Madrid and founder and president of the Foundation that carries his name. The FIBA Hall of Fame is a five-floor building that covers 2.000 square meters and is an extension of the FIBA Pedro Ferrándiz Foundation, a museum with the objective to preserve the heritage of international basketball.

The primary goal of the FIBA Hall of Fame is to reflect the history of the sport and its protagonists. The key criterion for selection into the FIBA Hall of Fame is outstanding achievement, at the international level, to the development and status of the sport of basketball.

The inductees into the FIBA Hall of Fame will be divided into four categories: PLAYERS (they must have been retired from international competition for five years), COACHES, TECHNICAL OFFICIALS (REFEREES AND COMMISSIONERS) and CONTRIBUTORS.

Media representatives are cordially invited to attend the opening press conference (where Secretary General Patrick Baumann will explain the goals and regulations for the FIBA Hall of Fame), the official inauguration of the FIBA Hall of Fame and the enshrinement ceremony of the initial posthumous inductees.

The agenda for all the happenings scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, 1st March 2007, is as follows. Please note that this agenda has been slightly modified as with regards to our press release of 15th February:

• At 11:00 hours, in the auditorium of the FIBA Pedro Ferrándiz Foundation:
  Press conference, on the goals and regulations of the FIBA Hall of Fame, with the presence of: Mr. José Caballero (Mayor of Alcobendas), Mr. Bob Elphinston (FIBA President) and Mr. Patrick Baumann (FIBA Secretary General).
• At 12:00 hours, in the auditorium of the FIBA Pedro Ferrándiz Foundation:
  Handing of the key of the FIBA Hall of Fame from the Mayor of Alcobendas, Mr. José Caballero, to the President of FIBA, Mr. Bob Elphinston.
• At 12:45 hours, at the exterior of the building:
  Official inauguration with the unveiling of the FIBA Hall of Fame logo on the exterior of the building by the Mayor of Alcobendas.
• At 13:00 hours, at the FIBA Hall of Fame:
  Unveiling of a commemorative sculpture to honor those who contributed to the founding of FIBA by the Secretary General Emeritus of FIBA, Mr. Borislav Stankovic. Unveiling of a commemorative plate featuring the names of the initial posthumous inductees to the FIBA Hall of Fame by the President of FIBA, Mr. Bob Elphinston.
• At 13:30 hours, at the FIBA Hall of Fame:
  Cocktail-style reception.

Media representatives wishing to attend and cover the different events scheduled as part of the official inauguration of the FIBA Hall of Fame are kindly requested to arrive at the FIBA Hall of Fame building in Alcobendas no later than 11:00 hours on Thursday, 1st March 2007.

For those who haven't done so already, confirmation of presence, by calling the numbers of the FIBA Pedro Ferrándiz Foundation (+ 34 91 662 19 13 and + 34 91 662 17 84), will be appreciated.

Please find below the complete address of the FIBA Hall of Fame/FIBA Pedro Ferrándiz Foundation:

FIBA Hall of Fame & FIBA Pedro Ferrándiz Foundation
Avenida Olímpica, 22
-Arroyo de la Vega-
28108 Alcobendas (Madrid)
SPAIN

Phones: + 34 91 662 19 13 and + 34 91 662 17 84
Fax: + 34 91 661 90 99