(PANAMA CITY) Panama – The first Single Point of Contact (SPOC) meeting for the Americas was held this month in Panama City, marking an important step in expanding FIBA's initiative to strengthen integrity and combat match manipulation in basketball. The workshop brought together representatives from 13 National Federations, selected based on the risk of match manipulation associated with the volume of their domestic competitions and club leagues. The activity is part of FIBA's broader integrity strategy to safeguard the transparency and credibility of the sport. The meeting also underscored the region's commitment to ensuring match integrity across the Americas. In line with Article 1-161 of the FIBA Internal Regulations, the workshop focused on the role of the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) as a key figure within each National Federation to coordinate and channel integrity-related matters. During the two-day workshop, participants learned in detail about FIBA's integrity framework and the responsibilities of the SPOC in preventing, identifying, and responding to potential cases of match manipulation. The sessions highlighted the importance of timely reporting, maintaining close cooperation with FIBA, and implementing appropriate internal measures at the national level. The workshop also aimed to strengthen participants' capacities and foster collaboration among SPOCs across the region. Through exchanges of experiences and discussions on the common challenges faced by National Federations, attendees began building a regional network that will help facilitate information sharing and mutual support in the future. Through initiatives like this, FIBA's Regional Office in the Americas continues to reinforce its commitment to the integrity of basketball, to the development of tools that help protect the game at all levels, and to Empower National Federations, one of FIBA's Strategic Priorities for the current cycle.
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