President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. welcomed Friday the hosting of 2023 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Basketball World Cup (FBWC 2023) by the Philippines this August, as he assured the association of continuous government support.
Speaking during the courtesy call of the members of the FIBA Central Board and delegates from the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) in Malacañang Palace, the President said he remembered his father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., tossing the ball for the FIBA event in 1978, the first time it happened in the Philippines.
“I was there when my father first tossed the ball and I’m quite pleased to be able to — I didn’t realize that that was the first time that it happened here in the Philippines,” the chief executive said.
“And I’m happy that I will be there for the time that it will — the FIBA events will return — World Cup now, will return to the Philippines. So it would be an honor for me to reenact perhaps, reenact what my father did in 1978.”
The President said his administration has always considered sports as a very important part of the country’s social development and was very happy to support all the endeavors of FIBA’s Central committee.
Recalling his remarks during the send off for the Philippine team competing in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games earlier this week, President Marcos said sports is important because it is one of the activities that is especially suitable to young people.
“And when I look, when you look at sports, and everything that it entails, I said this is one of the very few activities that we can think of from which there really is no downside,” the President said, adding it is a very significant development that FIBA comes back in the World Cup and to the Philippines.
“It’s good for our discipline. It’s good for our health. It’s good for our learning camaraderie, learning how to be a good sport.”
President Marcos also thanked FIBA and SBP Chairman Emeritus and FIBA member Manuel Pangilinan, saying the country’s FIBA event will not be possible “without a great deal of hard work from all of you.”
Given the popularity of basketball in the Philippines, the President predicted that it would be a success.
Founded in 1932, FIBA is an association of national organizations that governs competition in basketball with a main office in Mies, Switzerland. It has regional offices in Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.
FIBA oversees the establishment, updating, and amendment of the official basketball rules; establishes the specifications for basketball equipment and facilities and regulations for international and Olympic competitions; appoints international referees; regulates the cross-country transfer of players; and governs and oversees the organization of all international competitions.
To date, there are 212 National Federation members around the world: Americas (42 national federations), Africa (54 national federations), Asia (44 national federations), Europe (50 national federations), and Oceania (22 national federations).
The Central Board is FIBA’s top-level executive branch, which supervises the practice of basketball worldwide. It is composed of a President, FIBA Secretary General, Treasurer, and the Presidents of each Zone, plus three members elected by the Congress according to a continent-based quota system.
On September 12, 2022, FIBA announced that the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia would host the FBWC 2023, the first time multiple Asian nations were selected to host the event.
This is the Philippines’ second hosting of the FBWC since 1978.
The SBP is FBWC 2023’s local organizing committee.
