SBP Exec Sonny Barrios to meet FIBA officials

Source : AKTV

MANILA — Renauld “Sonny” Barrios, executive director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, left Thursday night for Geneva, Switzerland on the invitation of International Basketball Federation (FIBA) secretary-general Patrick Baumann to a meeting of the Competitions Commission on next-phase discussions of the new system that will govern world basketball tournaments.



“Your personal presence would be very much welcome as we would also like to meet separately with you and discuss some of the items around the competition system in a more detailed and personal way,” Baumann said in the invitation.

Barrios, former commissioner of the Philippine Basketball Association, and SBP consultant Mauricio ‘Moying’ Martelino, a long-term secretary-general of the Asian Basketball Confederation (now FIBA Asia), were in Geneva a few months ago to attend a policy formulation meeting and had a chance to trade ideas with the Switzerland-based Baumann and other high-ranking FIBA officials.

“Apparently, FIBA Geneva is impressed with SBP under the leadership of Mr. Manuel V. Pangilinan to the extent of inviting us to this important conference,” said Barrios.

(InterAKTV is part of InterAksyon.com, the news portal of TV5, which is chaired by Pangilinan.)

A window to discuss the Philippines’ bid to host the Asian qualifier for the 2014 World Championship, to be known as FIBA World Cup, could open during the meeting with Baumann, said Barrios.

“Once I get the green light from my superiors and the opportunity presents itself, then I definitely will bring it up,” added Barrios, who has formally offered to provide FIBA a powerpoint presentation of “our country’s willingness and SBP’s readiness to host the event.”

Meanwhile, FIBA announced during a recent launching in Madrid that the World Championships, held alternately with the Olympic Games every four years since 1950, will henceforth be known as the FIBA World Cup.

“The new name is short and catchy, and the term World Cup is known by people all over the globe and resonates in different languages,” said Baumann in front of more than 400 guests who also witnessed the unveiling of the tournament logo.

“This new name reflects the prestige that our tournament has as a premier international competition and allows for it to be recognized as what it truly is: one of the biggest global sporting events, along with the FIFA World Cup, the Rugby World Cup and the Cricket World Cup,” Baumann said.