CZE - ABC charity project scoring big time

KARLOVY VARY (2010 FIBA World Championship for Women) - The 2010 FIBA World Championship in the Czech Republic assembles the globe’s best basketball players and crowns the best basketball nation in the world. But it does much more than that. It helps youngsters that are most in need of help thanks to its ABC program.

ABC (All Baskets Count) is a charity project adopted and introduced to the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women by the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and FIBA. The concept is simple: for every successful three-pointer in the tournament, the LOC and FIBA will each donate 10 Euros towards funding for the construction of a “House for All Generations” in the Czech Republic. They have both committed to a minimum of 10,000 Euros each.

In the meanwhile, the project has received support from the event’s players, coaches and teams.

The Czech Republic team captain, Hana Horakova, will donate 20 Euros for every three point basket she makes, while head coach Lubor Blazek will add the same amount for any three pointer made by his team.

“I believe that projects such as ABC make sense because the recipient and the goal of the charity is clearly set. I am happy that through sports such projects can come to life,” says Horakova.

The head coach of Team USA Geno Auriemma will join the project as well by contributing USD 50 for each of the three point baskets made by his team.

“I think that part of our role as basketball coaches is to be able to give back,” Auriemma said.

“We’re quite fortunate. We have a lot of opportunities that other people don’t have. We’ve got the ability to bring attention to some other issues and anything that I can do, personally, I will. That’s the way I grew up. That’s the way I was raised. That’s what I’ve always believed in. I do a lot over here and it’s a privilege for me to be able to do something for other people.”

The French team joined the charity program in contributing 20 Euros per made three-pointer but a minimum of 1,000 Euros.

The latest addition to the charity programme came with team Australia, who also promised 10 Euros for each three-pointer they make.

“I am extremely happy and grateful to have all those players, coaches and teams on board for ABC. It is just great to see a foreign participating coach support a local charity. I sincerely hope that others will follow suit and we will be able to get the 'House for All Generations' project off the ground,” adds Jiri Zidek, vice president of Czech Basketball Federation.

“We have a responsibility that goes way beyond basketball,” says FIBA Secretary General and IOC member Patrick Baumann. “Sport should set an example on and off the court. I am very happy to see so many of our protagonists joining the project.”

Even the fans, either directly in the stadium or watching on TV can support ABC by sending a SMS message in the following form: SMS POMOCKOSEM to 87 777 (the cost of the SMS message is CZK 30 with CZK 27 going to ABC, CZK 3 covering the costs). The main media partner of ABC is Czech TV which is also the producer of the worldwide signal from the World Championship and the sport's broadcaster in the Czech Republic. All live games shown on Czech TV feature promo spots for the SMS messaging service.

ABC is a an example of a charitable project that gives another dimension to sports events and sports in general, and sets an example that such a project can be adopted during a sports event of such magnitude as a world championship.

ABC hopes that other teams, players, coaches and fans travelling with their teams will follow the good example and will support a good cause during a world-class sports event.

Before the start of the medal round already 478 successful three-pointers had been made by the 16 teams competing in world basketball's top women's tournament. By adding the contributions of the LOC and FIBA as well as the individual contributions from players, coaches and teams, the charity has to date already collected approximately 25,000 Euros. And hopefully more is to come.

The check with the final ammount will be handed over to the foundation at halftime of the final game by FIBA President Mr. Yvan Mainini and Czech Basketball President Mr. Miroslav Jansta.

FIBA/LOC