Nigerian Basketball Federation’s stakeholders summit results in key decisions
ABUJA - The Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF)'s stakeholders summit held last week in the capital city of Abuja shed some light on the future of the game in the country.
Local club owners, referees, players, coaches, technical commissioners, statisticians, table officials, and media representatives raised questions, discussed how to improve the game in years to come, agreed on dates to the start of national leagues, and, more importantly, pledged to write a new chapter in the Nigerian basketball history.
Referees Committee
Posted by Titans Basketball Association on Thursday, 4 February 2016
As well as reviewing federation's recent programmes, stakeholders looked ahead of the 2016 season.
Among the several topics discussed, delegates suggested the creation of youth national championships in order to keep youngsters committed to the game of basketball.
Posted by Titans Basketball Association on Thursday, 4 February 2016
In a statement to FIBA.com, NBBF president Tijjani Umar said they “interfaced with delegates and organised bodies, including the Nigeria Basketball Referees Council, Basketball Coaches Association of Nigeria and the bodies representing technical commissioners and statisticians. The exercise reaffirmed the ownership of the national programme by the stakeholders and guaranteed a voice for them in how the game is run. 3x3 basketball is to be fully implemented this season and efforts are already underway.
[NBBF and delegates] agreed to enforce provision of insurance for local league players, medical personnel for league teams as well as the code of ethics and conduct for league players, staff, technical officials, media and fans in the new season. - NBBF
As Nigeria head for a busy summer on continental as well as world stage competition, the future of the national teams was one the highlights in the four-day meeting (3-6 February).
The NBBF pledged that the men's team - which will compete in the Olympics for the second time in a row after winning the AfroBasket 2015 - will have the best possible training camps ahead of the Rio 2016 Games.
Nigeria (NGR)
"The forum also urged the federation, sponsors, partners and sports authorities to work together to ensure that national teams participating in the 2016 Olympics, WOQT, U17 WWC and AfroBasket U18 Men and Women get the right preparation for a respectable and worthwhile outing," the statement reads.
Meanwhile, the women's team - which came in third at AfroBasket Women 2015, but has a second chance to reach the Olympics via the 2016 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) - will get all the necessary support.
"Efforts are already underway to upgrade the WOQT team in terms of player personnel and any other areas where weaknesses were identified including funding," the NBBF said.
Nigeria (NGR)
To conclude the annual meeting, stakeholders agreed the Zenith Bank National Female Basketball League will start on 28 February and the Dstv basketball league Nigeria (DBL) will begin on 11 March.
NBBF and delegates also adopted zero tolerance for local clubs failing to honour international obligations in order to safeguard and advance country's growing international success and status in basketball.
FIBA
