The commitment of the Junta de Andalucía for sport has been reflected this Friday in the signing of the collaboration agreement with the Spanish Basketball Federation, for which national and international events will be played over the next two years, with the presence of the two senior teams and other teams from the lower categories.
The agreement contemplates the organization of different international basketball events, among which are the U17 Men’s World Cup next summer, two qualifying matches for the 2023 World Cup for the men’s team and another two for the women’s teamincluded in the qualification for EuroBasket 2023.
The next two induction events into the Hall of Fame (2022 and 2023) will also be held in Andalusia, as well as 3×3 Herbalife Series tournaments and several Plaza 3×3 CaixaBank events. And another of the highlights of the agreement is the celebration of the FEB centenary commemorative match in August 2023.
Former typesetter player Jorge Garbajosa wanted to thank «the Board, and the team led by Javier Imbroda, José María Arrabal and Isa Sánchez, for their courage. And that they share the view that we have in the Spanish Basketball Federation and the values that have made us an international reference. It is a very special day because today we take a giant leap into the future for vision, ambition… And because with the agreement we are going to play many basketballs, from the youngest, with the 3×3, to those who make up our history, in the Hall of Fame, going through the great reference that our absolute men’s and women’s teams represent ».
In a ceremony held inside the Fuengirola-Higuerón Training Center, a pavilion owned by the municipality that has required an investment of close to 3 million euros, Arrabal argued that, with this agreement, “Andalusia offers itself to the world” as an ideal place for sport. And he emphasized that the autonomous community definitely becomes the home for Spanish basketball. “We feel comfortable being hosts of Spanish sport, but I must say that in the case of basketball there is an extra, which is, as we have always said, that we want to be part of this family,” said the regional leader after referring to the counselor and former national selector, Javier Imbroda.
In the presence of the mayor of Fuengirola, Ana Mula, and the councilor for Sports, María Hernández, Arrabal stressed that the Federation “has managed to consolidate a competitive model, with a load of valuable values not only for sport, but for the entire Spanish society”.
Also witnessing this new agreement were the president of the Andalusian Basketball Federation and vice president of the Spanish Federation, Antonio de Torres; the general director of planning, facilities and sporting events of the Junta de Andalucía, Isabel Sánchez; the current Team Manager of the Spanish team, Carlos Jiménez; and former Malaga international Berni Rodríguez.
