The President and the Secretary General of FIBA Africa, Pr Alain Ekra and Dr Alphonse Bile, paid a courtesy visit today Friday 12th march to the Minister of the Sports of Mali, Mr. Hamane Niang. The President and the Secretary General of FIBA Africa wished to thank the Minister of sports for the development work done for the Malian Basketball. They explained to the Minister, the three main reasons of their working visit in Mali which are to prepare Afrobasket women 2011, to prepare FIBA Africa's various activities for year 2010 and thank the Malian authorities for the support which they bring to the Basketball.
For his part, the Minister, Hamane Niang has thanked FIBA Africa for its support for the Malian Basketball. He revealed that the Basketball became a major discipline in Mali with the various successes recorded by the National Teams to the continental level ( U16, U18, Senior women). He even indicated that the Basketball is even quoted in example by the President of the Republic who became an unconditional fan of this game. The Minister announced to FIBA Africa's delegation that a project of 10 playing courts is in progress by the Government further to the last success of theU16 teams in Afrobasket 2009 of their respective category. He also congratulated the Malian Federation which has just renewed its executive Board and for its work in youth Basket with the setting up of a junior championship in all the regions of Mali.
The Minister said that currently Mali wishes to have a basketball academy because this game aims at the elite.
Before the meeting with the Minister of Sports, early today FIBA Africa's delegation had visited alongside with the President of the Malian Basketball Federation, Abdallah Haidara, the center of high-level of Kabala. Introduced in 1998 but inaugurated in 2002, the center of Kabala is the camping place of Malian National teams. This center welcomes the following sports: basketball, Football, Boxe, Hand Ball, Volleyball, Martial arts. The athletic will make its entrance this year. The infrastructures of the center consist of: a arena of Basketball, a arena of Hand Ball and Volleyball, a gymnasium of Tae kwon do, a gymnasium of Judo and a football's ground, a reception room, a laundry, a restaurant, a cyber, a stretching room, a medical room and a room of entertainment. The center is coupled with the sports High School with about 200 pupils.
This project is financed by the Malian Ministry of the sports only. FIBA Africa expressed all its satisfactions to see such as project developed in Mali.