By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
The late FIBA Secretary General, Patrick Baumann, and Cuban basketball legend Ruperto Herrera Tabio, received the Olympic Order on Wednesday.
The highest award of the Olympic Movement was given posthumously to Baumann, an IOC Member from 2007 until his passing in October of 2018.
At the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Wednesday, his daughter and son, Bianca and Paul, were presented with the honor, in the presence of his wife, Patricia.
Both FIBA President Horacio Muratore and FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis attended the IOC Session.
“Under his leadership, FIBA moved forward by leaps and bounds, with the organization modernizing itself to the extent of becoming a model which fellow International Federations followed,” Muratore said.
“FIBA is forever indebted to Patrick. Without doubt we would not be where we are today were it not for everything that he did. His unwavering commitment, tireless work ethic and pure passion for basketball mean he will forever have his place in FIBA’s history.”
Baumann, who became FIBA Secretary General in 2002, was equally a dedicated IOC Member. He was a member of the IOC Evaluation Commissions for the Olympic Games 2008 and 2020, a member of the Coordination Commission for the Olympic Games 2012, chairman of the Evaluation Commission and Vice-Chairman of the Coordination Commission for the Olympic Games 2024. He was also appointed Chairman of the Coordination Commission for the Olympic Games 2028 and was a member of various other IOC Commissions.
Herrera was an amazing player who led Cuba to the bronze medal at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. The four-time Olympian, a shooting guard, also played at FIBA Basketball World Cups in Yugoslavia (1970) and Puerto Rico (1974).
Elected Secretary General of Cuban Olympic Committee in 2009, Herrera was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2015.
“Ruperto is a true legend of our game. He is a true gentleman that was able to shine on and off the court. Not only he was able to win a medal at the Olympics, but also serve our sport at all political level in his country, in the Americas and worldwide with FIBA,” Muratore added.
Source: FIBA