FIBA takes home Creative Sports Award

During a dedicated award ceremony held in Dubai on 10 January 2024, the President of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), Sheikh Saud Ali Al Thani, and its Secretary General Andreas Zagklis, accepted the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award. The 2023 edition sought to recognise the most impactful initiative that contributed to the empowerment of societies through sports.

FIBA was selected for its innovative Youth Leadership Project, led by the FIBA Foundation, which is aimed at equipping young people with the necessary tools to use basketball for creating a positive impact within their communities. Last year, the Foundation linked the initiative to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and created a Mascot Education Program, promoting education about recycling and the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 within the three Host Countries of Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, thereby adding to the social legacy of the event.

While attending the ceremony, ASOIF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said: “FIBA’s initiative has been really forward-thinking, addressing in particular the young generation and involving young leaders for peer-to-peer communication. They are a well-deserved winner of this prestigious award.” He added: “I would also like to express our gratitude to H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for this beautiful ceremony and for recognising important activities of sport federations in this way.”

About the award

Since 2013, Summer Olympic IFs have been invited to participate in the Creative Sports Award. It is designed to celebrate and encourage initiatives, projects and programmes that demonstrate outstanding creativity and contribute to the enrichment of sport.

Each year ASOIF members can submit one entry for the award, with each submission examined in relation to the award criteria by a group of referees appointed by the Award’s Board of Trustees. The winning IF is presented with an AED 1 million (approximately USD 272,000) prize for use in its development activities.