It is with deep sadness that Peace and Sport learned of the sudden and unexpected passing of Patrick Baumann, Secretary General of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), IOC member and president of the Global Association of International Sports Federations during the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Patrick Baumann was a close friend of Peace and Sport, as well as a visionary and active leader who contributed enormously spreading the positive values of sport. He was an extraordinary person who dreamed about developing 3×3 Basketball in order to benefit a larger number of children.
He also attended in 2013 the Peace and Sport International Forum and last year, he joined Peace and Sport in its 10 year-anniversary celebration in the Principality of Monaco. Over the last two years, he invested himself supporting Peace and Sport field program, the Friendship Games. This program aims at bringing together children from Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo for a multi-sport event in order to create dialogue and cooperation in the region.
“Patrick was a close friend of mine and of Peace and Sport. The far-reaching peace-through-sport movement has been struck by great sadness. All our thoughts are with his family and friends” said Joel Bouzou, President and Founder of Peace and Sport.