A much-anticipated statisticians workshop, organized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) kicked off in Islamabad on Wednesday, marking a significant move toward raising the sport of basketball to international standards in Pakistan.
The workshop has attracted 11 skilled participants from across the country who have already showcased their skills and dedication by completing FIBA training and passing a tough round of qualifying exams.
Led by a FIBA ASIA instructor from Bahrain, the basketball workshop in Islamabad aims to develop and certify Pakistan’s first-ever group of FIBA-licensed statisticians. These specialists will play a key role in providing accurate and professional statistical coverage for both national and international basketball events.
This initiative marks a historic step for basketball in Pakistan, as the introduction of FIBA-certified statisticians will enhance the country’s technical expertise and bring its practices in line with global standards for high-level competitions.
Pakistan has finished as high as 6th in the Asian Championship, which came as far back as 1979, with Pakistan failing to achieve anything of note in the sport of basketball since then.
There has also been great issues at an administrative level as well, with FIBA suspending the Pakistan Basketball Federation for its support of an unrecognized interim committee of the Pakistan Olympic Association in 2013. The suspension was lifted on 13 August 2015 after FIBA recognized the federation being run by Brig. Rashid Ali Malik at the time.