MIES (Switzerland) - A special ceremony has taken place in Switzerland to celebrate the introduction of a landmark new address for the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball, with the occasion also fittingly arranged to honor FIBA's 94th anniversary. The global headquarters is now officially located at Chemin de la FIBA 1, in Mies, Switzerland.
Spanning an 8,500 meter plot, FIBA's Headquarters were inaugurated on June 18 in 2013, prior to the FIBA Central Board taking the decision in 2018 to honor the late and widely revered FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann by adding his name to the building. Now, with the addition of a newly created street name, it is expected to provide the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball with even more of a high-profile presence and significance in the region. To mark the change, the ceremony was held at the FIBA Donor Wall. This is located at the start of the new street that leads up to the main entrance and also encapsulates the outdoor 3x3 court and bronze statue of the legendary James Naismith, who famously invented basketball in 1891.
FIBA President Sheikh Saud Ali Al Thani, FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis and FIBA Foundation President Hamane Niang were in attendance.
They were joined by Mr. Pierre-Alain Schmidt, Mayor of Mies; Ms. Cosima Deluermoz, Delegate for International Sport, Canton of Vaud; as well as Ms. Nita Korhonen, FIM Director, from the neighboring International Motorcycling Federation.
We are honored to be able to inaugurate our new address and especially on FIBA's anniversary, which is always special to us. FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis
"We are very grateful to those involved in helping the new street name to become a reality and for the work that has been undertaken," continued Zagklis. "With our proud history that already spans more than nine decades, having our own special address of Chemin de la FIBA 1 is something truly unique and an important recognition for the sport and the organization. Looking ahead, we take inspiration from this symbolic recognition to continue FIBA's story of success and basketball's global growth."
Mr. Pierre-Alain Schmidt, Mayor of Mies, said: "We are very proud to host an organization like FIBA in our town. On behalf of the Municipality of Mies, we wish you every success in your activities, and we are always delighted to support the organization of your events and tournaments."
Managed by the FIBA Foundation, the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball is laid out in the shape of a hand, a significant symbol of FIBA's visual identity. This distinctive design is visible from the air when approaching Geneva Airport - only a 10-minute car journey away. It also incorporates a steel structure resembling the interwoven pattern of a basketball net. It is certified with the label Minergie Eco, which is the highest energy standard in Switzerland for low-energy houses and sustainable construction. It represents one of only 600 buildings in Switzerland with that label. The showpiece is the 1,000 square meter Naismith Arena - a ground-floor exhibition space including the FIBA Hall of Fame. The museum contains more than 40,000 objects representing basketball’s history and culture, inherited by the Pedro Ferrandiz Foundation in Madrid, while the library has more than 9,000 basketball books in over 20 languages. The headquarters also regularly hosts exhibitions and special events, including competition draws, various ceremonies, and the FIBA Open, which is set to host its 12th edition. FIBA