MIES (Switzerland) - The FIBA Women Leaders' Program, supported by Molten, recently concluded alongside the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026, with three participants awarded funding for their innovative projects.
Participants from across the globe who joined the program in February came together in the German capital as part of an exciting program that had been designed to strengthen and advance women's hoops globally.
The initiative is also proudly supported by Molten, a FIBA Global Partner for more than four decades.
Launched as a pilot with the goal of becoming a regular Women in Basketball leadership initiative, it has also been supported through collaboration with FIBA's Regional Offices and various National Federations, along with the FIBA Foundation. Selected on the strength of their proposals, each attendee presented their case to a panel. Projects had to underpin FIBA's Women in Basketball strategic priority and focus on key elements of meeting the challenge of increasing girls' participation and retention, creating sustainable community programs, developing leadership pathways, and achieving greater visibility for women athletes. Covering a wide range of topics, including media storytelling initiatives, grassroots tournaments, leadership hubs, mentorship programs and community development platforms, the presentations were built on a series of monthly leadership webinars. These webinars helped participants refine their project ideas, strengthen their leadership skills, and foster valuable peer exchange and collaboration across all FIBA regions.
The panel included COO Sports Division of Molten, Ryo Kurahashi; Executive Director, FIBA Oceania, Amanda Jenkins; Head of FIBA Foundation, Theren Bullock; FIBA Head of Women in Basketball and Special Projects, Elisabeth Cebrian-Scheurer; Head of National Federations & Integrity, FIBA Europe, Radmila Turner; and FIBA Central Board Member and FIBA Americas Honorary President, Carol Callan. A total of 10,000 US dollars was made available from the Molten Development Grant and another 5,000 from the FIBA Foundation, with funds provided to the winning participants to further develop and scale their projects.
"The FIBA Women Leaders' Program in Berlin has delivered several important outcomes, including the recognition of highly innovative projects led by women using basketball to create positive change," explained Noa Hasegawa, Head of Brand Marketing at Molten Corporation.
"The FIBA Women Leaders' Program gathering has highlighted the importance of building a lasting international community of women leaders who can use basketball to create meaningful change on and off the court and influence the next generation."
It was Tina Krajisnik (Serbia) who had the pleasure of picking up the winning prize of 7,000 US dollars, with Virginia Zheng (China) second and receiving 5,000 US dollars, while Meaghan Wilby (New Zealand) was the third recipient of funding and was handed 3,000 US dollars for her initiative.
I'm very proud and also grateful for this journey and that Molten and people recognise that what we started in Serbia can potentially grow into something bigger, bigger impact even globally
The Berlin chapter brought the Women's Leadership Program to life, turning months of online development into an immersive, in‑person experience during the Women’s Basketball World Cup.
Across the four days, participants strengthened their leadership practice, connected with global voices at the Women in Basketball Forum, and gained rare behind‑the‑scenes insight into one of the sport’s biggest stages.
Their project presentations showcased not only the impact they are already creating, but the confidence and clarity they've built along the way. Between workshops, shared learning moments and the energy of watching the FIBA Women's World Cup games together, the cohort forged relationships and a sense of collective purpose that will carry well beyond the program.
What began as individual journeys has grown into a vibrant international network of women leaders ready to shape the future of basketball. FIBA