FIBA’s Post

🚀 How Spain Became a Football Powerhouse Over the Last Two Decades⚽ In the past 20 years, Spanish football has dominated the global stage, setting new benchmarks in both men’s and women’s football. From tactical brilliance to nurturing young talent, Spain’s journey to the top is nothing short of inspiring. 🌟 Read our deep dive into why: https://bit.ly/47DISrf 🔹 Champions League Glory: Spanish clubs, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, have secured a remarkable 10 Champions League titles, showcasing their tactical prowess and resilience. 🔹 International Success: Spain’s national team has triumphed with a 2010 World Cup win and three European Championships (2008, 2012, 2024), cementing its status as a footballing powerhouse. 🔹 Tiki-Taka Revolution: The evolution of the tiki-taka style, characterized by short passing and movement, has redefined modern football tactics. Coaches like Pep Guardiola have been instrumental in popularizing this philosophy. 🔹 Youth Development: Spain’s youth academies, such as La Masia and the Madrid Youth Academy, have produced world-class talents like Xavi, Iniesta, and the current stars Pedri and Lamine Yamal. 🔹 Rise of Women’s Football: The rise of women's football in Spain has been remarkable with Barcelona Femeni winning over 3 of the last 5 UEFA Women’s Champions League titles. Their success has brought much-needed attention and support to women’s football in Spain. It is this same legacy that we bring to Dubai through LaLiga Academy Dubai. Interested in knowing more, read on: https://bit.ly/47DISrf #ChampionsofTomorrow #LaLigaAcademy #Dubai #Footballtraining #footballcoaching #Spain #LaLigaMadrid

A fairer way to rank Olympics success – and it’s not per capita When it comes to the Olympic Games, New Zealand punches far above its weight. A recent paper in a scholarly journal by Robert Duncan and Andrew Parece makes this point by developing a new ranking method. Duncan and Parece conclude by drawing attention to three countries that rank among the top ten in the 2020, 2016 and 2012 Games, using either a per-capita approach or a probability ranking approach. These are New Zealand, Hungary and Jamaica. This is true for NZ in 2024 also. NZ ranks among the top 10 both using the per capita approach and Duncan-Parece approach. (Incidentally, I corresponded with Andrew Parece and he said, as noted in the paper, that it was Pete Pfitzinger of Athletics NZ who encouraged them to develop this ranking.) Check out my column in Newsroom if interested. https://lnkd.in/ggzGmVTv Andy Parece

👻 We have a long way to go before we can dream of winning few gold medals consistently in every olympics. ☠️ Same old rotten reasons - facilities, support, infrastructure and finally lack of player mindset to seal the medal in final critical moments. 😳 Continued political interference and lack of transparency in way sports events are conducted in the country. No single national level authority governing all sports nationally. 🤓 Regional favouritism, corruption and lack of accountability. 😱 Poor funding - peanuts compared to top sporting nations like China & US. 🥁 The reality is that we are not a sporting nation. There is a huge difference between being a sporting nation and playing sports for the sake of passion. The former is well oiled machine manufacturing champions while latter is triumph of individual over system and intense competition. Unless we take things seriously and make drastic changes to the way we operate we can continue dreaming olympic after olympic. Nothing is going to change.

https://lnkd.in/eZF_7nxF In Janelle Wells, Ph.D. class, we've talked about the Olympics and completed an exercise where we position for or against being a host Olympic city. This could range from existing traffic conditions, tourism, politics, you name it. I've talked about how excited I am that India is starting to consider being a host in the future for the 2036 Olympics, however there are other countries such as Indonesia and Mexico trying for that year as well. The IOC has issued a powerful reminder against the politicization of sports, cautioning countries that exclude athletes for political reasons about the potential impact on their plans to host Olympic Games. For example, you will see the article state that Poland refused to let Russian athletes compete in the European Games in 2023 and Indonesia was stripped by football’s governing body FIFA of hosting the men’s Under-20 World Cup in May because the nation did not want to stage host the Israeli team. This underscores the IOC's unwavering commitment to fairness and sportsmanship on the global stage. The selection process for the 2036 Olympics host has been updated to avoid public campaigns and a contested vote. Instead, potential hosts will work behind the scenes with the IOC, with a preferred candidate receiving an exclusive negotiating period. As the years go on, we can all hope to ensure that the Olympic Games remain a beacon of unity and excellence for athletes and fans worldwide. #globalwells #vsem #olympics #unity

Excitement is building for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, set to begin on July 26. According to a recent Leger survey for the Association for Canadian Studies, conducted from July 12-15, 2024, Canadians have high expectations for their athletes, anticipating a medal count surpassing the 24 medals won in Tokyo 2020, where Canada finished 11th overall. Remarkably, 75% of those medals were won by women. The survey, which involved 1,784 respondents, highlights that most Canadians view the country as a top-ten contender in international sports and expect a top-ten finish in Paris. Additionally, Canadians are divided on their preference between the Summer and Winter Olympics but agree that performance is more important than winning. For more details, you can read the full study here: https://lnkd.in/e98Ac23Y

COOPERATE MORE THAN YOU COMPETE. In the 2021 Olympic games in Tokyo, Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi, and Mutaz Barshim of Qatar agreed to share a gold medal in the high jump event that ended in a tie. These two friends were given the option to settle the tie with a jump-off, but Barshim in the spirit of cooperation and sportsmanship asked, how about two golds? The official said it was a possible option, and Barshim accepted the option with a nod and Tamberi instantly accepted, slapping Barshim’s hand and jumping to hug him. These two people could have opted for a jump-off, one of them would become a gold medalist, and the other a silver medalist, but through cooperation, and putting aside the spirit of competition they both became gold medalists. Sometimes, what we need to be winners is not our skill and ability, but our willingness and readiness to cooperate with others for a joint win. No one individual has ever and can ever achieve anything all by their own self. Everyone that has achieved something, or done something special in the world has done it with the help of some people. People will always be a part of everything and anything that happens, negatively or positively, and every contribution is always very important to the process. Competition is good as it can bring the best out of a person when it comes to performance, but cooperation is better, it helps everyone win with ease. As Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off." So, cooperate more than you compete. Kamikun John, Author 366 days of wisdom. https://lnkd.in/dexM5T-K #Success #motivation #PersonalDevelopment #competition #cooperation #winning #together

🌍 The Olympics' impact on global iGaming: Blask has uncovered the true impact of the Olympics on the betting landscape across diverse markets. The results? Nothing short of fascinating! Key takeaways: ▶ Netherlands: Betting engagement peaked during the country's most successful Olympic days, even surpassing interest during the Euro 2024 final. ▶ Argentina: Football reigns supreme, with the Copa America final generating twice as much betting interest as the Olympics. ▶ Brazil: Esportes da Sorte's market share soared from 9% to 14% during the Olympics, likely due to its sponsorship of CazéTV's Olympic coverage. ▶ India: The Olympics had minimal impact on betting engagement, with the IPL in May generating significantly more interest. Could cricket's return to the 2028 Olympics change this? ▶ Poland: State-owned operator Totalizator Sportowy's market share jumped from 37% to 57%, likely due to its strong association with Poland's Olympic success. ▶ Ivory Coast: A single bronze medal by taekwondo star Cheick Sallah Cissé boosted betting engagement by 15%. So, what's the scoop? ▶ The Olympics' impact on iGaming varies greatly across markets. ▶ Local sporting preferences and operator sponsorships play a crucial role in determining betting engagement. ▶ The return of cricket to the 2028 Olympics could be a game-changer for the Indian market. Want to dive deeper into the analysis? Read the full article on NEXT.io: https://lnkd.in/eveaZu3Y The Olympics may not be the biggest betting event, but it sure packs a punch in some markets! Which country do you think will see the biggest Olympic betting boom in 2028? Share your predictions in the comments below!

Is Breakdancing Really an Olympic Sport? A Question of Eligibility and Legacy The recent inclusion of breaking, more commonly known as breakdancing, in the Paris 2024 Olympics has sparked a heated debate. While the International Olympic Committee (IOC) aims to modernise the Games by appealing to younger audiences with urban sports, the question remains, whether breakdancing be considered a sport at the highest level of global competition? For a sport to qualify for Olympic inclusion, it must meet stringent criteria. It must be governed by an International Federation, widely practiced worldwide, and adhere to the World Anti-Doping Code. However, the final decision ultimately rests with the IOC, which has the flexibility to include new sports based on the host country's preferences. Breaking's addition raises several questions: 1) is it widely practiced globally, or is its inclusion more about cultural representation? 2) does it align with the traditional values and competitive rigor associated with Olympic sports? 3) is its inclusion in Paris a one-off event influenced by the host nation, or does it have a sustainable future in the Olympics? While breaking brings creativity, urban flair, and accessibility to the Games, it is worth considering whether these qualities alone justify its place in the Olympics. As we look ahead to Los Angeles 2028, sports like flag football, lacrosse, cricket, and squash will make their debut, however, I must ask is breaking really an Olympic sport, and does it truly meet those criteria?

As a high jumper back in school, I don’t quite get the uproar over an athlete not wanting to share a gold medal. 🏅 Competitive sports have profoundly shaped my character, teaching me the value of "台上一分钟，台下十年功", which literally translates to a minute of glory on stage as the result of a decade of hard work off stage. It taught me how to bounce back from disappointments while fully embracing my victories. The iconic scene in Tokyo 2021, where Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share the gold medal after tying in the men’s high jump final, was undeniably heartwarming. It was a beautiful moment of friendship and sportsmanship, but I believe 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲. True sportsmanship, in my view, is about 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗹𝘆 to determine the true ranking and taking pride in the outcome, e𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥. 🥈 Isn’t this the standard in every other sport? Imagine sharing the Champions League or the World Cup because the penalty shootout was scrapped, or multiple players sharing Grand Slam titles due to a lack of tie-breakers. In fact, isn’t competition a 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 behind human progress? While I fully support fostering a caring and empathetic society, we shouldn’t overextend this mindset to competitive sports. There are plenty of other areas in life and work where sharing responsibilities and outcomes is appropriate, but sports should remain a domain where true athletes compete and take ownership of their results. https://lnkd.in/g6cBPRmd #olympics

Debate Over Fairness Erupts After Imane Khelif's 46-Second Bout at Paris Olympics. The Paris Olympics have been shaken by controversy following a 46-second boxing match involving Algerian boxer Imane Khelif. The abrupt end to the bout has sparked widespread debate over the fairness and integrity of the competition, raising concerns about the treatment of athletes and the quality of officiating. Imane Khelif, a promising athlete with a strong record, faced a stunningly quick defeat, knocked out within seconds. This outcome has led to questions about whether Khelif was given a fair chance to prepare and compete. For an event as prestigious as the Olympics, where athletes dedicate years of training, the brevity of the match felt unjust to both the competitors and the audience. Critics argue that the rapid conclusion suggests possible irregularities, such as insufficient warm-up time for Khelif. Furthermore, there are concerns that athletes from less affluent nations may not receive the same level of preparation and support as their counterparts from wealthier countries. This disparity can lead to unbalanced matchups, disadvantaging athletes like Khelif even before the fight begins. The officiating in this match has also come under scrutiny. In a sport where split-second decisions are crucial, consistent and fair refereeing is essential. The quick decision in Khelif's match has highlighted potential issues in the standards of officiating, prompting calls for a review to ensure transparency and fairness. The incident has broader implications for the Olympic spirit, which champions equal opportunity and fair competition. The controversy suggests that systemic issues within international sports may compromise these ideals, particularly for athletes from less supported backgrounds. In response to the uproar, there is a growing demand for an investigation into the match's circumstances. Many believe that a thorough review is necessary to determine if any injustices occurred and to prevent future occurrences. The goal is to ensure that every athlete, regardless of their nationality or financial backing, has a fair chance to compete at their best. The 46-second bout involving Imane Khelif is not just an isolated event but a reflection of deeper challenges in maintaining the integrity of competitive sports. As the Olympic community continues to strive for fairness, addressing these concerns is crucial. Only through transparency and reform can the true spirit of the Olympics—fair play and respect for all athletes—be preserved, ensuring that athletes like Khelif are treated with the dignity and fairness they deserve. #ImaneKhelif #ParisOlympics #OlympicBoxing #FairPlay #SportsIntegrity #BoxingControversy #AthleteRights #EqualOpportunity #SportsFairness #OlympicDebate #AthleteTreatment #OlympicSpirit #SportsEthics #BoxingMatch #OlympicGames2024 #SportsEquality #JusticeInSports #SportsReform #OlympicControversy #FairCompetition #SportsNews