SAN JUAN (Puerto Rico) - The Puerto Rican Basketball Federation (FBPR) will present its new constitution on Wednesday at the Coliseo Pedrin Zorrilla. The presentation, which will take place at 18:30 AST/local time and is open to the public, will be a joint effort with the Puerto Rican Olympic Committee (COPUR) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

"The purpose is to inform the people of this movement. It is an important task in which we are doubly backed by FIBA and the COPUR. We are in the transition process to a new Puerto Rican Basketball Federation. At this time we have to properly inform the people, so they are involved and we are all going to the same place," said Carlos Beltran, President of the FBPUR.

"The reality is that change is not easy and there is always resistance. But this is a great opportunity to improve. If more people with good intentions can be involved with our federation, then the possibilities of growing increase. We have to have the right message so the process flows the right way."

The new Constitution was adopted on December 17, by the Board of Directors of the national federation.

"The International Federation has been entrusted to help its national federations, in this case Puerto Rico, to be at the height of its abilities as a sports entity and to meet the minimum requirements. This new constitution, restructures the institution in a way that will beneficiate the welfare of basketball in the country. And Puerto Rico has to know this, and has to know the new possibilities that it has to be an active part of the National Federation," said Alberto Garcia, Executive Director of FIBA Americas.

"One of those possibilities is through the regionalization of basketball in Puerto Rico. This country, which has a huge number of participants in our sport, will be organized so that a child will have the ability to learn, play and grow in basketball within the same region, as it will be now enhanced by the Federation. That is a real change."

The new Constitution talks about all the issues of the functioning of the National Federation of Puerto Rico, with special emphasis on its electoral process.

"We already began a process of acceptance and adaptation, of what will be a new federation, with the basic purposes of being more democratization, participation and transparency," said Jenaro "Tuto" Marchand, Secretary General Emeritus of FIBA Americas.

"This new federation is inclusive and will have representation from all involved in the work of basketball in the country: players of all categories and gender specificity, coaches, referees, table officials, league managers, clubs and individuals not affiliated with the federation."

Puerto Rico finished fifth at the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship, earning a spot in the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs), where the team will look to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The country has not played in the Olympics since 2004 and has not made it out of the group stage of the FIBA Basketball World Cup since 2002.

"For the Puerto Rican Olympic Committee, this is an essential process and it has been important to carry it out by the hand of FIBA and with the overall layout of the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation. This union lets our country see that there is a level of seriousness behind this transformation," said Sara Rosario, President of COPUR.

"The national basketball team is the regulating feeling of Puerto Rico and this is a new beginning, we are confident that we will return to that elite seat we occupied in previous decades. It's a big step to already have in place this new constitution, because it places in our hands the tools to change."

"On Wednesday, we invite the great family of Puerto Rican basketball. They are the ones who will eventually lead the basketball in Puerto Rico. Democracy has to be more than a word. There, we will communicate this new reality so that people realize that this is the most important step in the history of basketball in this country," concluded Marchand.

For more information, contact info@fibaamericas.com.

FIBA