AUS - FIBA President inducted as Contributor in the Basketball Australia Hall of Fame.

SYDNEY (FIBA) - FIBA President Bob Elphinston was last night inducted by Basketball Australia into their Hall of Fame as a "Contributor" reflecting a lifetime of work as a coach and administrator.

Among the achievements noted at his induction was his role as a Manager of the Australian Boomers on 38 occasions including the 1982 FIBA World Championship in Columbia and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Domestically, he was a member of the foundation Board of the (Australian) National Basketball League and foundation President of the Australian Basketball Coaches Association. Elphinston has previously held positions on the Boards of Basketball New South Wales. FIBA’s President was also instrumental in the formation and growth of the Basketball Basketball Association in Sydney and its establishment as one of the strongest Associations in Australia, pioneering many of the developments which created the platform for the modern structure of the game.

His contributions have previously been recognised with life memberships of New South Wales Basketball and Basketball Australia.

Elphinston's induction was part of an induction of 17 award announcements which also included recognition of several other internationally well known faces: former Boomers Coach Barry Barnes, and players Karen Dalton, Rachel Sporn and Eddie Palubinskas. Long time Basketball Australia President and founding Chairman of the National Basketball League, the late Dr John Raschke, who was inducted in 2004, received the Hall of Fame's ultimate recognition when his contribution was upgraded to "Legend" (legendary) status - the highest award in the Hall of Fame.

More than 200 guests attended an award function in Sydney scheduled around the second game in the 2007 FIBA Oceania Men's Championship between Australia and New Zealand.

A major theme of the evening was a celebration of 50 years of Opals (the national women's team) Basketball. Australia made its first foray into international women's basketball with the participation of a seven-member team in the FIBA Women's World Championship in Brazil. All seven members of that team were present to have their ground breaking efforts recognised.

In FIBA's 75th year there was a strong link between the pioneering efforts of the first Opals and the World Championship winning performance of the latest Opals at the last FIBA World Championship for Women back in Brazil last year. The captain of that 1957 team Lorraine Eiler was inducted as a player alongside more recent Opal retirees Dalton and Sporn. In such a landmark year for FIBA it was interesting for the modern group of players, coaches and administrators to hear the first Opals talk about their two month journey by ship and plane to be part of the their first World Championship.

Reflecting the truly inclusive nature of the code in Australia, Kevin Coombs, legendary member of past Australian wheelchair basketball teams, was also inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player.

Basketball Australia's Chief Executive Scott Derwin presented FIBA President Elphinston with an Opal gift recognising FIBA's 75 year leadership of the game at an international level.

Please visit Basketball Australia´s website  for more information about the Hall of Fame and the 2007 Induction.

FIBA Oceania