BEIRUT (Lebanon) - The first global meeting of FIBA's Single Point of Contact (SPOC) initiative in Asia was held in Bangkok, Thailand, on December 5 to 7.
The SPOC program was first introduced in 2022 with the aim of raising awareness of integrity-related regulations and establishing a platform for reporting any breaches, with national federations appointing a single point of contact with FIBA.
This 2024 SPOC meeting was regional and limited to South East Asia, considering that the region has been considered a high-risk region for match-fixing. A total of 11 SPOCs attended the meeting in which FIBA tackled match-fixing and safeguarding.
The SPOCs were also invited to attend the associated event organized by the Olympic Council of Asia in cooperation with Interpol and the International Olympic Committee.
"They gave us great examples about the case of integrity and the best practices to handle cases," offered Mr. Preeda Muongmee, a FIBA referee who's also been appointed as the FIBA SPOC of the Basketball Sport Association of Thailand.
"We had built our SPOC network during the workshop. It's good to know that we will not fight alone in the future," he added. "With a friendly environment and great management, we were able to share our thoughts and situation in our countries."
"The sessions were a great eye-opener. It gave me good insights into the world of sports business and allowed me to understand the importance of protecting the integrity of the sport," added Mr. Matthias Koh, the representative of the Basketball Association of Singapore.
"A sincere thank you to FIBA for organizing and delivering an outstanding and unforgettable workshop," expressed Mr. Tan Kee Hian, Secretary-General of the Malaysia Basketball Association, on the other hand.
"Your attention to detail, thorough preparation, and seamless execution have set a benchmark of excellence and commitment," he added.
A FIBA SPOC typically serves as the primary liaison or coordinator for a specific area of responsibility, such as integrity, match-fixing prevention, or compliance within the organization.
FIBA