On Sunday 2 May 2004, Secretary-General, Kjell Gunna and Vice-President, Lyndon Borrow arrived at Madrid, Spain for FIBA World Council for Basketball for Persons with a Disability meeting in the following day - Monday 3 May, held at Pedro Ferrandiz Foundation headquarters in Alcobendas – a well known venue for international centre of documentation and research of basketball.
On first day, all members were kindly invited to welcome dinner at the Txistu restaurant hosted by Mr Segura de Luna, President of the Spanish Basketball Federation as well as Mr Pedro Ferrandiz, Jorge Osma and Miguel Font from the Pedro Ferrandiz Foundation.
The following day, at Pedro Ferrandiz Foundation headquarters, the meeting was conducted by the President of the council - Mr Jan Berteling of Netherlands. The other members in this meeting were:
- Maureen Orchard – President of International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) - Canada
- Fausto Pereira – International Association of Basketball for the Intellectual Disability (INAB FID) - Portugal
- Lyndon Borrow - Vice President of Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF) - UK
- Kjell Gunna - Secretary-General of Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF) - Sweden
- David MacCalman – FIBA Oceania Representative of Basketball for people with a disability – New Zealand
- Dr Costas Parisis – FIBA Medical Council member – Greece
- Lubomir Kotleba – FIBA Secretariat - Switzerland
- Cendrine Guillon – FIBA Secretariat - Switzerland
- Two sign languages interpreters – Lena Wanerskar and Jan Lundberg of Sweden, are also in attendance. Our big gratitude to Sweden Government for their financial support of interpreters.
It was very engaging discussions, exchanged news and development as well as guidance. The discussion includes approval of the report from the last meeting, financial situation, reports from FIBA Zones, priorities for 2004 and 2005, and reports from representatives of the co-operating organisations including DIBF.
DIBF reported regarding to Deaflympics / CISS Congress who has officially recognised DIBF as independent international deaf basketball federation with own rights, carried out several clinics/development seminars for coaches throughout past year, and development of membership structure.
Discussed about establishing regional zones in near future. This step is however highly recommended by Mrs Orchard since without Zones the continued existence and growth of DIBF might be very difficult. This should be easier as DIBF is now working independently. Following the decision taken recently by the IPC (International Paralympics Committee) which decided to organise its Zones as the IOC does, it is suggested that the DIBF use the opportunity of its new structure to use the same Zone system as FIBA.
The main targets for the DIBF are to gain more members to enable its growth and to establish a Zone system.
During the meeting break – there was an opportunity to tour around the Pedro Ferrandiz Foundation building which has an official basketball museum with thousands of exceptional basketball collections from all over the world such as trophies, medallions from World Championships and Olympics, posters, old basketball balls and shoes, resource books, video, arts and many to mention.
Next meeting to be held in 2005 and the location is yet to be confirmed – possibility at FIBA headquarters in Switzerland.
Please browse our photo gallery of the meeting on below.
Yours in basketball,
Communications
Deaf International Basketball Federation.
