SAN JUAN (FIBA Americas) - The Competitions Committee held its first meeting on Friday, March 18, at the regional office of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in the Americas with several important matters on the agenda and the prime objective of implementation of the new FIBA Competition System.

The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Competition Committee Mr. Carmelo Cortez (Venezuela), Vice President Mr. Carlos Alvarez (Argentina), members Yamil Bukele (El Salvador), Mr. Frederick Brown (Bahamas) and observers Glyne Clark (Barbados) President of the Caribbean Basketball Confederation, along with the Chairman of the FIBA Competitions Commission Eduardo Bazzi (Argentina), FIBA Americas President Usie Richards, and FIBA Americas Executive director Alberto Garcia.

In their first meeting, the committee focused on the new FIBA Competition System set to begin in 2017 and that serves as the qualification process for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China, the strengthening of National Federations through Workshops set to begin in the coming months and the completion and detailing of America’s Competition Calendar for the 2016 – 2019 period.

The Committee also discussed in detail the different proposals regarding the qualification process for the 2019 Pan-American Games, along with the 2018 ODESUR (South American) and the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games.

“It is our duty to monitor the evolution of Zone competitions at all age groups and make recommendations for improvement in all aspects of the events,” said Mr. Cortez. “At the same time, we need to work together to bring our National Federations to a higher level, so they can be at their best next year when the 2017 FIBA Competition System tips-off.”

The Committee concluded its inaugural meeting while agreeing to maintain communication every 90 days.

"It was a successful first meeting and a great opportunity to listen and share ideas with those responsible for making basketball. This Competition Committee and the expertise of its members is now in session. We have now established a work plan that has proposed activities to be implemented and that represent an important step in regards to achieving these short and long-term goals that have been set by the Committee.", concluded the FIBA Americas President Usie Richards.
 
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