Basketball Competition Manager appointed

She will be responsible for all the planning, organisation and management of the Olympic Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball events in 2012. The Olympic Basketball events take place in the Olympic Park and at the North Greenwich Arena 1 in Greenwich. Wheelchair Basketball events take place in the Olympic Park and the North Greenwich Arena 1.

Commenting on her appointment, Joanna said: 'I’m honoured to be given the opportunity to help showcase Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball at the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. The Games are a terrific chance for Basketball in the UK to start realising some of its potential and I look forward to contributing to that process – my only regret is that I won’t be playing in the Games themselves!'

FIBA (the International Basketball Federation) Secretary General and International Olympic Committee member Patrick Baumann said: 'FIBA is very pleased with the appointment of Joanna Sutherland as Competition Manager for Basketball. Her basketball knowledge and experience in working with FIBA, FIBA Europe and our member national federations at both FIBA Continental and World Championships will put her in good standing for this vital and very important position. We look forward to working with her to make Basketball once again one of the top sports at the Olympic Games in London in 2012.'

Malcolm Tarkenter, Chairman of the Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Association, said: 'We congratulate Joanna on her appointment and wish her good luck. We are excited that the London Organising Committee is following the example set in Sydney of the same competition manager being responsible for the delivery of both events. Joanna’s role is central to the realisation of our goals, not only for our athletes, but for all of our officials and volunteers who will be striving over the next few years to be part of London 2012.'

Joanna’s key responsibilities include the overseeing of all aspects of the Basketball competition and to be the focal point for liaison with the International Basketball Federation and the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation. She will ensure that the competition is organised in accordance with international federation regulations, the International Olympic Committee Charter and the Host City Contract. Joanna will liaise with other functional areas to ensure the coordinated delivery of support services such as accreditation, venue operations, medical services and volunteers.

Joanna will travel to the Beijing Games to see what lessons can be learned from the Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball events there. She will initially take up her post on a part-time basis, becoming full time towards the end of 2009.

Joanna, a native of Edinburgh, has been working in international sport, primarily basketball, for the last ten years. Having graduated in Law and French from Edinburgh University, Joanna joined the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in Munich in 1998 and gained considerable experience in both the Competitions and Media Departments before moving to assist in the organisation of the 2002 European Athletics Championships, also in Munich. Rejoining FIBA Europe, Joanna soon had a key role in the delivery of major events, notably EuroBasket 2005 (the 2005 European Championship for Men) in Serbia and Montenegro and EuroBasket Women 2005 in Turkey. As a result, she was invited to join the Spanish Basketball Federation in Madrid as Operations Director of EuroBasket 2007 which later received the accolade of being FIBA’s most successfully marketed event to date. Still an active player, Joanna also captained British Universities and was Scotland’s Player of the Year in 1998.

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