In a recent interview with state broadcaster Rwanda TV, Gallo noted that Kigali hosting the BAL games over the past four years has not only energized the local basketball ecosystem but also highlighted Africa's potential on the global stage.
According to Gallo, Kigali's state-of-the-art facilities, such as the BK Arena, combined with strong governmental support and a commitment to excellence, have created an ideal environment for nurturing talent and hosting world-class events.
'We were very intentional in making sure that this is where we wanted to come and launch our African product when we did that in the middle of the pandemic because of the conditions that existed here. You have a world-class arena, world leadership that is extremely supportive, and visionary leadership that shared in what we saw that sports can do as a driver of the economy,' Gallo said while commenting about the launch of BAL in Rwanda four years ago.
He observed that the ongoing FIBA World Cup Women's Qualifiers, coming to the continent for the first time, are happening in Rwanda because "Kigali has really established itself as a hub for global events".
'When you see a filled arena like we saw in the past gamesâ€"the two games that I've seen the Rwanda team playâ€"for me, that's a testament to the work that's been done here by Rwanda Basketball Federation (FERWABA) and the entire leadership of this country to make sure that we continue to create platforms where Africa can be showcased at a major level now that we have created this interest,' Gallo said.
Rwanda's efforts in promoting sports have not only inspired and empowered young athletes but have also driven economic growth through increased tourism and international partnerships.
'Rwanda has been at the forefront of looking to promote tourism, inviting visitors to their country with the partnerships they've done in other sports. So when they partnered with the NBA, they recognized that they were partnering with the best in class in terms of commercializing and operating a professional sports league,' he added.
To continue promoting economic empowerment and development through sports, the BAL boss emphasized the need to double efforts by building local expertise and continuing to grow talent both on and off the court.
'We've got to continue to work to build expertise, develop coaches, and we have a program for that where we send African coaches to intern in the Summer League in Las Vegas. I think there were two coaches from Rwanda who attended again this year,' Gallo explained.
He attributed South Sudan's basketball team performance at the Paris Olympics to great leadership and consistency.
'I think in terms of governance and administration of the sport, the example of South Sudan shows that if you have leadership that is consistent, committed, and knows how to organize and identify talent both on and off the court, put it together, and prepare, the results will come because the talent has always been here,' he added.
South Sudan had an impressive run at the 2024 Paris Olympics but fell short of qualifying for the men's quarter-finals after a heartbreaking loss to Serbia. Serbia defeated South Sudan 96-85 in their final Group C match on August 3, 2024.
The South Sudan team, known as the Bright Stars gained recognition as Olympic contenders thanks to the efforts of former NBA All-Star and president of the country's basketball federation, Luol Deng.
As BAL prepares for season five, Gallo emphasizes the need to continue attracting partners:
'We've got to keep attracting partners like Bank of Kigali, MTN Rwanda, and other companies to invest with us and help us achieve the significant ambitions we have for our league and the sport of basketball.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/bal-president-lauds-rwanda-s-role-in-elevating-african-basketball
