Mies, Switzerland – October 10, 2024
The President of the Malaysia Basketball Association (MABA), Dato’ Seri Lee Tian Hock, alongside a delegation of MABA representatives, recently concluded a historic visit to the FIBA Headquarters in Mies, Switzerland. This visit marked a significant milestone in strengthening the relationship between MABA and FIBA, as both organizations seek to elevate the development of basketball in Malaysia and beyond.
During the visit, President Dato’ Seri Lee expressed his deep appreciation to FIBA Secretary General Mr. Andreas Zagklis and FIBA COO Mr. Patrick Mariller for their warm reception. In his address, he highlighted MABA’s ongoing efforts to promote basketball at all levels in Malaysia, from grassroots development programs to elite national competitions. He acknowledged the sport’s increasing popularity, with growing participation among the youth and heightened interest from sponsors and fans alike.
Dato’ Seri Lee emphasized the importance of international exposure for Malaysian teams and how further opportunities to compete at higher levels would greatly benefit the country’s players. He underscored the pivotal role that FIBA’s guidance and expertise could play in this regard, noting that collaboration with FIBA would help Malaysia build a stronger basketball ecosystem.
In addition to basketball development, Dato’ Seri Lee spoke about MABA’s long-term vision, including the MABA’s Five Pilot Projects – redevelopment plan. This initiative aims to generate RM 5 – 7 million annually by redeveloping existing MABA-owned land, ensuring financial sustainability for the future of Malaysian basketball. Furthermore, MABA has outlined plans to support its affiliates in building indoor basketball courts across Malaysia, ensuring that every state has the infrastructure necessary to cultivate young talent.
On the player development front, MABA is focusing on comprehensive training programs, including overseas coaching courses for retiring national players, enabling them to pass on their experience to the next generation. National leagues, such as the MBL and U20/U23 leagues, are being refined to provide a structured talent pipeline for both men’s and women’s categories. Additionally, MABA remains committed to developing homegrown talent through expanded scouting initiatives, despite the challenges faced in naturalizing foreign players.
FIBA Secretary General Mr. Andreas Zagklis shared FIBA’s strategic objectives during the meeting, including making 3×3 basketball the most thrilling urban sport, promoting women in sport, and empowering national federations. He commended MABA’s leadership under President Dato’ Seri Lee, expressing confidence in MABA’s ability to achieve financial self-sustainability, which would facilitate the realization of its long-term goals. Mr. Zagklis praised MABA’s proactive efforts in advancing basketball development in Malaysia and affirmed FIBA’s commitment to supporting MABA in its endeavors.
The visit concluded with a renewed sense of partnership between MABA and FIBA, as both organizations look forward to working together to further the growth of basketball in Malaysia and contribute to the global basketball movement.
马来西亚篮总代表团访问国际篮联总部
Mies – 2024年10月10日
马来西亚篮球总会（MABA）总会长拿督斯里李典和率领马来西亚篮总代表团，圆满结束了对位于瑞士洛桑的国际篮球联合会（FIBA）总部的历史性访问。此次访问标志着加强MABA与FIBA关系的重要里程碑，双方致力于共同推动马来西亚及全球篮球事业的发展。
访问期间，总会长对FIBA秘书长Mr. Andreas Zagklis和FIBA首席运营官Mr. Patrick Mariller的热情接待表示深切感谢。在致辞中，他强调了MABA在各个层面推动篮球发展的不懈努力，从基层培训项目到全国赛事，展示了篮球运动在马来西亚的日益普及，特别是在青少年中的参与率持续增长，赞助商和球迷的关注度也显著提升。
总会长提到，FIBA的指导与专业知识对于帮助马来西亚建立更为强大的篮球生态系统至关重要。
除了篮球发展之外，总会长还分享了MABA的长期愿景，包括MABA的五大计划中的重建计划。该计划通过对MABA现有土地的重新发展，每年预计可创收500万至700万令吉，为马来西亚篮球的未来提供财务可持续性。此外，MABA还计划支持各属会建设室内篮球场，确保马来西亚各地具备培养年轻人才的基础设施。
在球员发展方面，MABA正致力于完善的培训计划，包括为退役的国家队球员提供海外教练课程，帮助他们将自己的经验传承给下一代。全国联赛如MBL联赛和U20/U23发展联赛也在不断优化，以为男女国家队提供人才输送体系。此外，尽管在归化球员方面面临挑战，MABA仍然承诺通过扩大球探计划，培养本土篮球人才。
FIBA秘书长则在会议中分享了FIBA的战略目标，包括将三人篮球打造成最具吸引力的运动，推动女性参与篮球运动，以及扶持各国篮球总会。他对拿督斯里李典和总会长的领导表示赞赏，并对MABA实现财务自给自足的能力充满信心，认为这将有助于实现其长期目标。FIBA秘书长也高度评价了MABA在推进马来西亚篮球发展方面的积极努力，并重申FIBA将全力支持MABA的各项工作。
此次访问以MABA和FIBA之间的合作关系进一步巩固为圆满结束，双方期待未来在共同推动马来西亚篮球发展和全球篮球运动的进步方面继续紧密合作。
