21 November 2007
MOZAMBIQUE : Mozambique league-Model for other Federations in Africa
The Mozambique Basketball Federation known as Federação Moçambicana de Basquetebol was affiliated to the world basketball governing body, FIBA in 1978 with its seat of power in Maputo holds one thing that should be a model to the growth of this lovely sport by other affiliate members of FIBA Africa and FIBA, and that is how best to run their local league.
The Mozambican national league (Men, Women) is fashioned in a way that brings out the best from its clubs and by extension the players, this novelty way of running its national leagues was the results which culminated in the three clubs (Desportivo, Ferroviario and I.S.P.U) that represented the FIBA Africa Zone-6 country reaching the semi-finals of the just concluded 13th FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women won by Despotivo basketball club of Maputo.
Mozambique is ranked number 46 in the world by FIBA showed that with little funds players and their clubs can be made to reach their potentials.
www.fiba-afrique.org crew of Olusegun Ikuesan, Julien Bassam Farran and Blaise Coulibaly caught up with the former president of Federação Moçambicana de Basquetebol (1997-2005) now FIBA Africa Zone-6 President, Anibal Manave who took the crew on a journey into how the association achieve its present success state for its league after many trials and errors:
“Mozambique is made up of ten Provinces with Maputo as its capital, it became a member of the Commonwealth of Nation in 1995 as the only none British Empire in that body of comity of nations.
“Our national men and women league runs from November to September with teams playing on a provincial basis amongst them in order to save cost, as most teams could not afford the luxury of traveling every now and then to honour league matches.
“The system was adopted after a careful study by the federation on how best we can optimize our lean resources and gives the best to our clubs and players.
“We then resort to what we have today, a national league is played on provincial basis with national finals to determine the country champion has paid off tremendously and our clubs, players and even the national teams are the better for it.
“In Maputo for example, which we can call the hob of our basketball, there eight clubs (male and female) and so some sort of priority is given to it, and the eight teams played among them three times each making a total of about twenty-one matches at the regular season.
“The same thing applied in other provinces where matches are played on weekly basis among teams within each of the provinces in order to create a level playing ground and give sense of belonging to all clubs in our country.
“At the end of the regular season which usually last between seven and eight months the other provinces produce eight teams while Maputo produces four to make a twelve clubs national finals that usually take place in Maputo.
“The federation at this point ensures that all the twelve clubs that made it to the national league final are well catered for as corporate sponsors are gotten to take care of the teams, players, match officials and other logistics.
“This system has paid off tremendously and the results are showing with the performance of our national teams at major championship in recent time and the clubs putting up a good showing unlike in the past where we have to struggle to put together one club for continental championship the reverse is the case today.
“I will say yes if other federation want to adopt this (model) system for the overall development of the game in our continental because we so much believe in Mozambique that the more the games at the local scene the better for our clubs, players, national teams and even the sponsors.
“Just to tell you guys that the team that finally emerged winner of the Champions Cup for Women, Desportivo finished fourth on the league table but got an opportunity to be part of the continental show piece when Ferroviario got the nod to host the final round and the third placed team in the league, Maxaquene basketball club pulled out of the continental campaign this prompted the federation to give the continental slot to the eventual winner, Desportivo.
“It goes to show that any of the three teams (Desportivo, Ferroviario and I.S.P.U) that represented us at the finals are capable of lifting the trophy a clear testimony to the arrangement of the league.
By Olusegun Ikuesan
The Mozambican national league (Men, Women) is fashioned in a way that brings out the best from its clubs and by extension the players, this novelty way of running its national leagues was the results which culminated in the three clubs (Desportivo, Ferroviario and I.S.P.U) that represented the FIBA Africa Zone-6 country reaching the semi-finals of the just concluded 13th FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women won by Despotivo basketball club of Maputo.
Mozambique is ranked number 46 in the world by FIBA showed that with little funds players and their clubs can be made to reach their potentials.
www.fiba-afrique.org crew of Olusegun Ikuesan, Julien Bassam Farran and Blaise Coulibaly caught up with the former president of Federação Moçambicana de Basquetebol (1997-2005) now FIBA Africa Zone-6 President, Anibal Manave who took the crew on a journey into how the association achieve its present success state for its league after many trials and errors:
“Mozambique is made up of ten Provinces with Maputo as its capital, it became a member of the Commonwealth of Nation in 1995 as the only none British Empire in that body of comity of nations.
“Our national men and women league runs from November to September with teams playing on a provincial basis amongst them in order to save cost, as most teams could not afford the luxury of traveling every now and then to honour league matches.
“The system was adopted after a careful study by the federation on how best we can optimize our lean resources and gives the best to our clubs and players.
“We then resort to what we have today, a national league is played on provincial basis with national finals to determine the country champion has paid off tremendously and our clubs, players and even the national teams are the better for it.
“In Maputo for example, which we can call the hob of our basketball, there eight clubs (male and female) and so some sort of priority is given to it, and the eight teams played among them three times each making a total of about twenty-one matches at the regular season.
“The same thing applied in other provinces where matches are played on weekly basis among teams within each of the provinces in order to create a level playing ground and give sense of belonging to all clubs in our country.
“At the end of the regular season which usually last between seven and eight months the other provinces produce eight teams while Maputo produces four to make a twelve clubs national finals that usually take place in Maputo.
“The federation at this point ensures that all the twelve clubs that made it to the national league final are well catered for as corporate sponsors are gotten to take care of the teams, players, match officials and other logistics.
“This system has paid off tremendously and the results are showing with the performance of our national teams at major championship in recent time and the clubs putting up a good showing unlike in the past where we have to struggle to put together one club for continental championship the reverse is the case today.
“I will say yes if other federation want to adopt this (model) system for the overall development of the game in our continental because we so much believe in Mozambique that the more the games at the local scene the better for our clubs, players, national teams and even the sponsors.
“Just to tell you guys that the team that finally emerged winner of the Champions Cup for Women, Desportivo finished fourth on the league table but got an opportunity to be part of the continental show piece when Ferroviario got the nod to host the final round and the third placed team in the league, Maxaquene basketball club pulled out of the continental campaign this prompted the federation to give the continental slot to the eventual winner, Desportivo.
“It goes to show that any of the three teams (Desportivo, Ferroviario and I.S.P.U) that represented us at the finals are capable of lifting the trophy a clear testimony to the arrangement of the league.
By Olusegun Ikuesan
# posted by afrbk : 13:47
