Basketball isn’t just a game to us. It’s a way of life
With FIBA 2023 at our doorstep, we’re starting to hear the echoing cheers of our people on every social media platform. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok, people are clamouring to see what’s next for FIBA. And for the first time in 45 years, the World Cup returns to our shores. But the roars and cheers this year seem to be louder than ever. It could be because it’s in our nature to love the sport or the excitement of being on our home court—whatever it is, our fervour is unmatched.
But before we learn why Filipinos look forward to FIBA so much, let’s have a quick history lesson.
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The History of FIBA
Two years after basketball sport was officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Basketball Federation—commonly known by its French acronym, FIBA (Fédération Internationale de Basketball Amateur)—was founded in Geneva on June 18, 1932.
A global association that governs the international basketball competition, FIBA originally consisted of eight nations: Argentina, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania and Switzerland. At the 1936 Summer Olympic Games in Berlin, the founder of basketball, James Naismith, was named its honorary president.
