FIBA Hold ‘House of Basketball’ Event in Switzerland

People from all corners of the globe travelled to Switzerland for the ceremony of the ‘House of Basketball’, which on completion will become the International Basketball Federaion (FIBA) headquarters.

The project is expected to cost around US$31m and will be in the shape of a hand from a birds-eye view, with structural elements designed to strongly resemble a basketball net. The project should be completed by the end of 2012.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge attended the event and was addressed by FIBA President Yvan Mainini along with the assembled guests: “A birth like this is something very important. FIBA was created in 1932 in Geneva and today is like a re-birth as we break ground here to give the federation the dynamism it will need in coming years. We look forward to this project being completed so that we can welcome you all here again in two years’ time.”

Rogge said: “Basketball is a universal sport. It requires very little infrastructure and therefore is ideal to be played at school level. It is a sport where there is no violence, that carries values and that is very appealing. I would like to congratulate FIBA for this great initiative. This building will allow FIBA to do an even better job of fulfilling its mission regarding basketball and the development of the sport.”

The building will house the newly-set up International Basketball Foundation (IBF) and the FIBA Hall of Fame in addition to the administrative offices of FIBA.