Pinoys light up FIBA exhibit

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is prominently represented among the 40 pictures now on display at the FIBA House of Basketball in Switzerland and FIBA historical collections associate Luis Rojas Gonzalez has confirmed that 60 percent of the 1,200 entries in the second FIBA photography contest this year came from Filipinos with the first prize awarded to Dubai-based Cebu architect Mario Bejagan Cardenas.

Noted Filipino orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jose Raul Canlas was recently in Switzerland to attend a meeting of the FIBA Medical Commission of which he has been a member since 1998.  Canlas visited the photography exhibit and proudly said the Filipino entries were by far the most outstanding.  More than 70 countries participated in the FIBA contest which featured the themes “Basketball Is Everywhere” and “Basketball a Universal Language” this year.  The 40 best photographs were chosen for the gallery and eight were from the Philippines.  The exhibit opened last June 16 and closes on Tuesday.

Canlas was in Switzerland when news of FIBA secretary-general Patrick Baumann’s death during the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires sent shock waves all over the sporting world.  “Patrick was supposed to attend our Medical Commission meeting,” said Canlas.  “One of Patrick’s initiatives was to bring the NBA closer to FIBA.  During our meeting, we were introduced to Dr. John DiFiori, director of sports medicine of the NBA.  Hopefully, Dr. DiFiori will be a regular member of the commission.”

Through Baumann’s efforts, NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum became a member of the FIBA Central Board and Executive Committee.  At the first-ever World Basketball Summit organized by FIBA in China early this month, NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Tatum attended in a show of support for Baumann’s global mission to make basketball the world’s most popular sport within 10 years.  This season, the NBA began hostilities last Oct. 16, the earliest opening since the 1980-81 campaign began on Oct. 10.  The early start was presumably to allow NBA players more time to get ready for the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China.

“Nobody ever imagined Patrick to be ill,” said Canlas.  “The day before he suffered his heart attack, he was in the gym lifting weights.  He appeared to be physically fit and played tennis regularly.  Traveling for meetings or events anywhere in the world, he would make it a point to work out in the gym early morning.  So this was quite a shock as he was only 51.”  The stress of a hectic schedule as both FIBA secretary-general and IOC member could’ve triggered the attack as Baumann was constantly on flights visiting countries in every continent.

Canlas said he’s well acquainted with Baumann’s successor Markus Studer of Germany.  “We were together at the 2008 Beijing Olympics,” he said.  “He works behind the scenes as FIBA chief operating officer and is the chairman of the Basketball Champions League of Europe.”  Studer is secretary-general on an interim basis as the FIBA Central Board will decide on whom to appoint in a permanent capacity in its next meeting in December. 

Canlas is the only Asian member of the Medical Commission whose chairman is Peter Harcourt of Australia and deputy chairman is Souheil Sayegh of Switzerland.  Aside from Canlas, the other members are Dragan Radovanovic of Serbia, Rosario Urena of Spain, Ilker Yucesir of Turkey, George Burt of New Zealand, Luis Castillo of Uruguay, Cesar de Oliveira of Brazil, Andrew Pipe of Canada, Diego Grippo of Argentina, Aboubacar Gueue of Guinea and Abdulkadir Mu’azu of Nigeria.