FIBA is the governing body for international basketball. It maintains its own set of rules to help govern the association, which is made up of 212 countries and over 450 million players. As of 2006, Carl Men-Ky Ching of Hong Kong serves as President of FIBA, and Patrick Baumann of Switzerland is the Secretary General. The organization's offices are located in Geneva (opened in 2002). As they moved into their new facilities, they also launched a new website and began development on a new strategy that would take them through the year 2010. Teams that participate in the various federations associated with FIBA come from across the globe, including teams from Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. The federation has its own research and study group for the materials and equipment used in basketball, as well as to promote the building and maintenance of standard facilities. This Study Centre also provides publications offering technical assistance. Their goal is to achieve high quality and high-tech facilities that are safety conscious. FIBA's website offers information on approved manufacturers for basketball equipment, including the popular adidas brand of basketball, which seems to be the standard. They have a strong marketing team that is very involved in promoting the sport and other various issues. |
