FIBA Americas tips off tour of continent's national federations with visit of Paraguayan Olympic Committee

ASUNCION (Americas) - The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in the Americas began yesterday its visit program to the national federations of the continent, with a series of meetings with the Directors of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, the telecommunications company Tigo and the national press.

In the morning, the delegation of FIBA in the Americas led by its President Mr. Usie Richards and also attended by the President of the Paraguayan Basketball Federation Mr. Carlos Maria Ljubetic, met with Directors of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee including its Chairman Mr. Camilo Lopez Moreira. In the meeting, the International Federation presented the New FIBA Competition System in detail.

The new FIBA competition system and calendar will open a new era for basketball around the world - one that will feature 1,680 elite players in 1,200 national team games with millions of fans around the globe.

This New Competition System in the region of the Americas will feature 16 teams in Division A, who will play home and away games around the continent.

In the afternoon, the directors of FIBA Americas held a press conference where they explained to the national media the objectives of the visit.

"This new FIBA Competition System marks a before and after for international basketball, which will bring many challenges and the need for integration of the whole sports community in each participating country. That’s why we’re here in Paraguay." Said Richards.

"The history of basketball in our continent positions Paraguay as a country with great opportunities to participate in Division A of this New Competition System that starts in November 2017. To make this a reality, the national federation needs commitments and agreements of support from all the sports structures in the country, including the government, private enterprises and the media. If the Paraguayan Basketball Federation has support, not doubt their participation will be a success." Said the President of FIBA in the Americas.

After the press conference, the FIBA delegation visited the offices of Tigo, the telecommunication company currently responsible for the transmission of the national basketball games in Paraguay. In the meeting, the FIBA Competition System was presented to them in detail.

The agenda of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) during its visit to Paraguay, will continue today when the delegation moves to the Paraguayan National Secretariat for Sport where they will present the New Competition System to the Minister, Mr. Victor Pecci, then to end the day, the delegation will meet with the Board of the Paraguayan Basketball Federation (CPB) at its headquarters.

On Wednesday at 12hrs, the press has been summoned to the Sheraton Asuncion Hotel where they will be presented the New FIBA Competition System and the results of the meetings held on Monday and Tuesday. Then on the evening, the Executive Director of the institution, Mr. Alberto Garcia, will give the Paraguayan Basketball Community (Federation Presidents, Club Presidents, coaches, players, referees) a presentation of the FIBA National Federation Manual, entitled "Vision 2024",.

The agenda will conclude on Thursday at 17hs at the Sheraton Asuncion Hotel, where private companies have been invited in order to introduce the New Competition System in a purely commercial angle.

Paraguay is the first country in a 23 countries visit program that will be done in three phases. The first phase will take place between the months of April - June, where Bahamas, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Panama and the Dominican Republic, will also be visited.

FIBA