Arab basketball captured the spotlight at the congress of the International Basketball Federation held in Manila, where Sheikh Saud Bin Ali Al Thani was elected president of the federation for the new term that will run until 2027, during which Qatar will host the upcoming World Cup. Among the first to congratulate was Major General Ismail Al-Qarqaoui, president of the Arab and UAE basketball federations, who participated in the general assembly meeting. He predicted a significant transformation in global basketball under the leadership of Sheikh Saud, who possesses the experience necessary for a prominent role on the international stage, especially after serving as vice president of the international federation in the previous term and as president of the Asian federation for several terms.
Al-Qarqaoui stated that this significant Arab achievement will positively impact the sport and competitions in the Arab world. He also extended congratulations to Sheikh Saud on Qatar hosting the upcoming World Cup, affirming that the brothers in Qatar are capable of organizing an unprecedented tournament due to their organizational, administrative, and technical capabilities, as well as their large sports facilities and arenas.
In conjunction with the conference, Al-Qarqaoui met with the heads of continental and Arab federations, highlighting the Arab federations' commitment to supporting their participation in the championships and programs organized by the Arab federation. Most Arab peers confirmed their participation in the upcoming Arab national teams championship planned for the end of November, noting that the Iraqi federation expressed its readiness to host the upcoming Arab championships, both at the national team and club levels. The international conference was attended by Abdul Latif Al-Fardan, vice president of the UAE basketball federation and member of the Asian federation's executive committee, as well as Dr. Munir Bin Habib, member of the international technical committee and technical director of the Emirati federation and national team, who will participate in the international federation's workshops.
