The history of the confederation begins with the conversations of Mr. William Jones, general secretary of FIBA in that time and with Mr. José Claudio Dos Reis, distinguished leader of the Brazilian basketball. In this conversations, in the years 1972 and 1973, Dos Reis manifested to Mr. Jones the idea of some delegates of the national federations of the South American area, to create a regional organism of the Americas, with a permanent office.

FIRST MEETING OF DELEGATES OF THE THREE ZONES OF AMERICA:

On July 11, 1974 while in Puerto Rico, during the realization of the seventh world championship of basketball, the north, center and south American delegations met for the first time, at the "Granada" room of the Helio Isla hotel. The meeting was held under the sponsorship of the Brazilian confederation of basketball with the purpose of treating the matters related with the formation of the team of America that should compete with the Europe one and the organization of the first interamerican juvenile tournament that the Brazilian confederation of basketball would organize.

When beginning the meeting they were present:

• José Claudio Dos Reís - Brasil
• Adolfo Tormin Fernández - Brasil
• Carlos Aurelio Fernández - Brasil
• Dr. Ibrahim Pérez - Puerto Rico
• Joseph Pedro Damiani - Uruguay
• Samuel Mijalovich - Argentina
• James Steven - USA
• Jim Fox - USA
• J Dallas Sherley - USA
• Víctor E. Andrade - Ecuador
• Murray Swayze - Canadá
• Juan Manso Hernández - México
• Ricardo Cervantes - México
• Heriberto Torres - Panamá
• Andrés Keise - Cuba
• Virgilio Travieso - República Dominicana
• Israel Sarmiento - Venezuela
• Rafael López - Puerto Rico
• Eduardo Dagnino - Perú
• Aurelio Grimberg - Colombia
• Gilberto Ochoa - Colombia
• Gerardo González - Colombia
• Juan Matheo - EL Salvador

The meeting was carried out in an atmosphere of friendship, collaboration and understanding, what encouraged Mr. Airbus Keiser to request a new meeting with the delegates of the three zones of America and Mr. José Claudio dos reis offered the facilities of the Pauline federation to make it, which was unanimously accepted with the gratefulness of the present delegates.

Citation with the object of establishing the FIBA regional center in the west hemisphere.

With date march 10 of 1975, Mr. William Jones, general secretary of FIBA, sent a communication to the general secretaries of the national associations of basketball of the west hemisphere, citating them to a meeting to be summed up in San Pablo, brazil, the days 4 and 5 of may of 1975, considering the resolutions approved during the south American congress that took place in la Paz, Bolivia, in October of 1974, with a view to establish a baloncelistic structure , including the three north american zones, (north, center and south), keeping in mind what was specified in the article 37, of the FIBA by laws.

The citation also mentioned that the meeting would be held in the Jaragua hotel in San Pablo and that Mr. José Claudio dos reis would act as coordinator and host of the same.

Meeting at the Jaragua hotel, in San Pablo, brazil, with the representatives of the three zones of america (north, center and south).

On the days 4 and 5 of may of 1975 they met at the Jaragua hotel, in San Pablo, brazil, in an assembly of advisory character, the following representatives of the three areas of america;

on may 4, mr. Curry welcomed the delegates and Mr. Stankovic presided the meeting. At some point, Stankovic, actual secretary general of FIBA, confirmed that his function in the meeting was on a consultive character, with the sole intention of elaborating a feasible structure to create an organization of the three Americas. Also, he emphasized that among his duties, the most important one was to establish a regional office under the supervision of one secretary general.

In the session an integrated commission was named by the president and secretary of the zone, the president and secretary of the Caribbean and American zones, a delegate from the united states, a delegate from Canada and the two attached FIBA secretaries for America.

On the meeting of may 5, this commission submitted the proposal of a general structure for the new organization of the three Americas. The same one was approved, leaving this commission in charge of preparing the regulations of the new organization. It was agreed to appoint Mr. Eduardo Airaldi Rivarola, as honorary executive secretary, giving him the responsibility of organizing the general assembly that was fixed for the day of October 12, 1975 in Mexico city.




Javier A. Otero