MIES (Switzerland) - FIBA has once again demonstrated its position as a global leader in ensuring the quality, consistency and innovation of basketball equipment through rigorous testing standards after completing a cross-laboratory comparison testing initiative to showcase the value of using FIBA Approved basketballs.
Dedicated to ensuring that every FIBA Approved basketball performs to the same high standard, no matter where in the world it's played, the cross-laboratory comparison testing - a collaborative quality assurance method, involved FIBA Accredited Test Institutes independently testing identical basketball samples using standardized methods.
Showcasing and evidencing the credibility of the approval process, the successful tests have reinforced why stakeholders, including distributors, clubs, leagues, and National Federations, can have complete confidence when investing in FIBA Approved products.
"Consistency, quality, and continuous innovation sit at the core of the FIBA Approval Program. This cross-laboratory comparison testing confirms that no matter where equipment is tested, or where it is ultimately used, the standards remain the same," said Bart Prinssen, Head of FIBA Equipment & Venue Centre.
Our Accredited Test Institutes, together with our global network of manufacturing partners, continue to ensure that every FIBA Approved basketball performs at the highest level.
This was highlighted by FIBA's trial of a new test method development to ensure accurate measurement of ball degradation following the thermal stress test. This is where seam measurements are taken after high-temperature exposure to assess any changes that may have been caused by adhesive degradation.
Conducted at four different laboratory sites in China, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, each FIBA Accredited Test Institute was given three weeks to perform the full suite of tests with five identical basketball samples. FIBA then performed a statistical analysis of all results to identify any inconsistencies between the laboratories and to assess potential reasons behind measurement variations.
By conducting cross-laboratory comparison testing, FIBA was able to guarantee the quality and consistency of FIBA Approved basketball testing across all sites.
Since 2019, the FIBA Equipment & Venue Centre has organized the testing of 216 basketballs. It works with 35 basketball partners who have a combined 127 active approved basketball models.
Find out more on the work of the FIBA Equipment & Venue Centre here.
FIBA