Maxibasketball was created in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1969. That year, a group of ex-players shared together an exhibition game in a court. A few months later Mr. Eduardo Rodriguez Lamas impelled the creation of the ARGENTINEAN BASKETBALL VETERANS UNION. In the following years, the category rules were introduced.
The first International Tournament took place in Argentina, in 1978, holding the South American Championship, under the sponsorship of the South American Basketball Federation (Consubasquet) depending of FIBA.
During the 70s, the Argentinean authorities began the promotion in other countries. In that way the category became successfully to be an usual practice in Uruguay, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Central America: Costa Rica and Guatemala. Later, these countries founded their own national federations.
In 1982 the 1st Pan-American Games were held in Buenos Aires, under the sponsorship of the Pan-American Confederation (Copaba) depending of FIBA.
In 1984, a group of enthusiastic sportsmen in Canada held the idea of organizing an International Sport Jamboree for Mature People. The Argentinean helped them with basketball and, in 1985, the Masters Games were made. It was a test of the world interest in basketball at the mature age.
In the middle 80’s the Argentinean Federation was looking for an unique denomination for the category players, because of the variety of names given in different languages: Masters, Seniors, Veterans, Golden Oldies, etc.
Its secretary, Mr. Hilario Briones, proposed the new word “Maxibasketball” to the Board. He explained it was the opposite of minibasketball, the first basketball category. And instead of defining players with a passive fact, the word shows active sport participation. It was accepted and in a few years the name spreader around the world.
The Latin prefix Maxi, (meaning “the highest”) and Basketball compose the word Maxibasketball
In 1985 the “Argentinean Maxibasketball Federation” was born.
In 1987 the idea of a World Maxibasketball Championship appeared. Argentina offered to hold it, being the leader of the movement in the world.
During the following four years, the Argentinean representatives, travelled around the world promoting the event. In 1991, the 1st WORLD MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP took place in Buenos Aires with 32 teams from 8 countries: Uruguay, USA, Guatemala, Brazil, Russia, Estonia, Finland, and Argentina.
The INTERNATIONAL MAXIBASKETBALL FEDERATION was created on August 21st, 1991. Eight countries signed its foundation. Its first President was Eduardo Rodriguez Lamas, from Argentina. He is now known as the Maxibasketball creator.
Next year Las Vegas, USA, was appointed to hold the 2nd WORLD MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP in 1993. At that time the number of teams increased to 34 – only in men category- and to 10 countries: Argentina, Estonia, Latvia, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Chile and USA.
Forty men teams from 10 countries went to the 3rd MAXIBASKETBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP held in San Jose, Costa Rica, in 1995: Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Latvia, Guatemala, Brazil, Chile, Lithuania, USA and Costa Rica.
New authorities were voted in that year with the continuity of the presidency. For the first time two charges at the Board of Governors, the President and the General Secretary were from the same country. During the games, Helsinki, Finland was appointed for 1997 and it was officially announced as the following city for the Championship. For the very first time, Europe was a hope. It was a country with enough experience because of their Olympic Games in 1952 and their periodical assistance to International events and to the first World Championship, six years before.
Is in that time when FIMBA appears in the world wide spectrum of Maxibasketball, enlarging it with the European participation and instituting the distinctive and unique name of the category. Is from that moment on when FIMBA becomes Maxibasketball, without any doubt and it sole name means the category
During two years, the 4th WORLD MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, Helsinki 1997 Organizing Committee worked day and night with FIMBA to hold the biggest tournament ever made. 97 teams from 23 countries attended the event.
During the tournament Montevideo, Uruguay was officially announced as the host city for the 5th WORLD MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, 1999.
In that year the Regional Secretaries were appointed. Europe got his Secretary and started working for the 1st European Championship.
In 1999, when the 20th Century was finishing, the event went back to South America. Almost 100 teams in both men and women categories attended the tournament. In eight years since the first Championship the involved countries increased in a hundred twenty times and in three hundred times the teams registered.
For the third time in a row the same President and Vice President were formally voted. The city for the 1st European Maxibasketball Championship was appointed the city of Riga, for 2000. And the city for the Pan-American Championship -now under FIMBA regulations- Guatemala City was appointed for the same 2000 year.
During the Social Party in Montevideo the announcement of the Host City for the 6th WORLD MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, 2001 was fabulously feasted when Ljubljana, Slovenia was appointed.
In June 2000, almost 90 teams shared together in Riga, Latvia for the 1st EUROPEAN MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP. In July, Guatemala received almost 50 teams for the 1st PAN-AMERICAN MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
In 2001, Valparaiso-Viña del Mar, Chile was appointed to hold the 2nd PAN-AMERICAN MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, November 9th to 16th, 2002. Athens, Greece, was appointed for the 2nd EUROPEAN MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP to be held in July 13th to 20th, 2002.
For the second time the World Championship was hosted in Europe. Ljubljana has the privilege of being the first 21st Century event and to break the 100 registered teams limit.
In 2001 FIMBA was sponsored the AFRICAN MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP to be held in September in Pretoria, South Africa.
Ljublana had the privilege to announce the place for the 7th WORLD MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, the Wide World of Sports at Disney World. For the first time Disney World shared with FIMBA the organization of a World Championship.
The Host City for the 8th WORLD MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP has been announced in Orlando, Fl, USA at the social party on September 9th, 2003, it will be Christchurch, New Zealand form January 22-30, 2005.
During 2004 there have been the European 2004 in Helsinki, Finland and the Pan-American 2004 in Parana, Argentina.
In January 2005 in Christchurch, New Zealand, during the 8th WORLD MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, for the first time the “Eduardo Awards” were given out in ten categories to preserve the name of the creator of the category and to promote it through the world: Mr. Eduardo Rodriguez Lamas (1925-2003).
There were announced the host cities fort the new FIMBA tournaments: 1st Maxibasketball Central American Championship, in San Jose, Costa Rica in September 2005 and the first edition of the World Champions League for men 40, in Buenos Aires, Argentina in November 2005.
Also were announced the host cities for the 4th PAN-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2006, in Guaruja, Brazil, April 1-8, the 4th EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2006, in Hamburg, Germany in July-August, and the brand new regional event, the 1st Central Caribbean Championship, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in October.
In March 2005, during the FIBA President Congress in San Juan, Puerto Rico, FIMBA was invited to work actively in FIBA and in an unforgettable moment of the congress, the category was recognized as one of the most successful in the world, and FIMBA as one of the most important worldwide entities with more basketball accomplishments goals.
In November 2005, the first Edition of the World Champions League was held in Buenos Aires, with the medalist winner in Regional and World Championships. Brazil was the winner followed by Argentina. Poland was third and Italy fourth.
Before the end of that year the Second Edition host city was been worked and several countries from both continents ask for the application.
At the beginning of 2006, the 4th Pan-American Championship was held in Guaruja and the host city for the 5th edition was announced. Uruguay will host another 5th championship; first the World and after the Pan-American.
The 2nd edition for the Central Caribbean was recall and the great world party in 2007 in Puerto Rico.
In Hamburg at the 4th European Championship, the 2008 city for the 5th edition will be announced.
In October 2006 the first FIMBA Central Caribbean Championship, was held in Dominican Republic. Two events in Central America region in two years in a row, after the Central America FIMBA Championship in Costa Rica in 2005, were made.
In 2007 the second Editions of the FIMBA World Champions League was organized in Lublin, Poland and this time the champion was Russia. The 9th FIMBA World Championship was in Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico with its 9th World Championship accomplished the amount of 128 teams registered. It was a marathon of games in one of the highest sport events even made in the human history of one sport.
There was announced the host city for the 10th World Championship in the pretty city of Prague. For the second time the Eduardo Awards were given and the Golden Eduardo was for the Italian Giuseppe Ponzoni who becomes the Maxibasketball Ambassador for two years. The awards t the winners of the Literature contest 2007 also were given. More than 270 short stories were received.
In September 2007 FIMBA organized and made for the first time the Maxi Day. That day remembers the maxisport and more than 10.000 players’ worldwide plays in his/her towns, cities and countries.
In Montevideo 2008 was announced the 6th Pan-American Championship in the city of Eugene, Oregon, USA. Also was launched officially Fimba TV, the first broadcasting in the human history, transmitting live and directly all FIMBA events around the world.
Also was introduced the book called “The Ulysses bags” the book that presents the compilation of the 9 first short stories winners in the sport category and the first 9 in travel category.
The website over past the 190.000 cliks becoming the site in the first one more visited in the maxisport history.
The year 2008 has become an important time for the second age. The most important historical facts for the second and third age in sport were fulfilled. This year will rest as a jumper for the future.
In 2008 the 5th FIMBA European Championship was made in the city of Pesaro with the record of 105 teams and more than 2.300 persons. The 6th host city for the European was announced: Zagreb, 2010. The Third Edition of the World Champions league was remembered and the launching of the First Edition of the Women World Champions League, Parana, Argentina, in September 2010 was announced.
Also after a short time since it was launched, Fimba TV enter in the place 98 of the international ranking of minutes viewed, among millions of on-line televisions. During every Tuesday of October FIMBA showed his Special Board meeting live on TV.
In 2009 the 10th World Championship was held in Prague. They were 159 teams and 2,800 participants. There were played 419 games, were live broadcasting 159 games with the historical record of almost 200,000 viewers on-line. There were evaluated 4 new referees for FIMBA Referees. The new FIMBA Structure was approved and new work committees were created. The third edition of the “Eduardo Awards” was made and delivered the 10 trophies of the different categories. Natal, Brazil, was announced as the host city for the 11th World Maxibasketball Championship in June-July 2011.
In the year 2010 the 6th Pan-American Championship was organized in Eugene, Oregon, USA, being the first time that it was organized in this country. The European was organized in Zagreb breaking again the records of teams and participants. Fimba TV transmitted 6 games live diary in each of the two events coming to a new number of spectators who overcame any previous expectation. Puerto Montt 2012, Chile was announced for the 7th Pan-American Championship and Kaunas 2012, Lithuania for the next European Championship.
I the year 2011 FIMBA Celebrated his first 20 years and feasted in Natal, Brazil during the 11th World Championship where it was beat another record of teams, participants and companions. 161 teams, 3.200 participants, 424 games and Fimba TV overcame in 10.000 spectators the 200.000 on-line of previous years. The Eduardo Awards were given in the magnificent Social Party, absolutely free and with the presence of 3.000 persons. Thessaloniki , Greece was announced as the host city for the 12th World Championship, 2013.
Eight new FIMBA Representatives were confirmed and the election of the International Board was carried out, being elected for acclamation the former authorities with the incorporation of other three world personalities. There were delivered medals in 17 categories. The final of the category men 40+ was seen by millions of Brazilians in the network O’Globo. For the first time the entity make the teams registration digitally. The winners of the Literary Contest were announced. The contest was made with the publishing house Umbrales Ediciones who took as judges prestigious writers of different countries in Spanish, Portuguese and English. There was conformed the new Health Committee integrated by medics of five different countries for beginning the studies with several as a whole with Universities of three countries. The edition of the magazine “Overtime” with the Celebration of the 20 years had 75 pages. Also this year was made the tournament Basketball on the Sea with the participation of American and European teams. It was the first basketball tournament in the history of the mankind in a cruise. In 2012 there was organized in March the Pan-American championship in Puerto Montt, Chile. It was the first event in the Patagonia where thousands of players from all America enjoyed the tournament who was broadcasted live on Fimba TV with more than 200,000 spectators. In July the European championship was made in Kaunas, Lithuania in a very high professional level. The basketball city of Europe got 115 teams and we launched the on-line live statistics of games been followed along with the final games broadcasted in Fimba TV by more than 500,000 spectators. In November the 3rd Central Caribbean Championship was held in Panamá city with hundred of players and three invited countries: Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. In July 2013 Thessaloniki, Greece hosted the 12th World Championship with 170 teams. An extraordinary record of participants and an excellent organization. Was the first time with a digital and media development for a FIMBA event. A million of spectators enjoyed live images and games. There were delivered the Eduardo Awards along with the Literature Contest involving many writers.
In the year 2014 were organized the Pan American and the European Championships. In Lima, Peru, 87 teams from all America and an European team invited as Ambassador, participated in a championship that exceeded the sport because the geographical situation and the historical sites of the country. In Ostrava, Czech Republic, 89 teams competed including a female American team as Ambassador. There were announced the future host cities: San Jose in Costa Rica 2016 and Novi Sad, Serbia 2016. At the end of the year in the traditional Maxi Day thousands of teams participated around the world. The year 2015 began with the incredible number of 150 teams registered for the World Championship, Orlando 2015 that was developed in the month of August. This figure announced openly an overcoming of teams from the last world championship that had already been record. Finally in Orlando met 210 teams from 40 different countries being the championship of greater participation in the history of the basketball. The level of sporting level, social, organizational and the infrastructure of the ESPN Disney Wide World of Sport, where was held the championship, was of excellence. Eduardo Awards were given along with the awards of the Literary Contest organized for that championship. Again was delivered the Eduardo Award for “Fair Play” together with the Panathlon Club International.
The world-wide Maxibasketball interest and the way FIMBA works with the goal to promote, organize, develop, work up, manage and control the practice of Maxibasketball shows the great improvement made in the whole world and gives the opportunity to realize about the sport continuity in human life. Several countries ask to hold the famous WORLD MAXIBASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP and the Regional Events. Every two years a new city around the world has the opportunity to hold a World Tournament and every year a FIMBA tournament. Maxibasketball has broken the geographic borders. Even the mind borders have been broken with the sport continuity. That is why we have already understood FIMBA slogan: “Don’t add age to your life but life to your age” along with “Basketball non-stop”.
Malaga 2022
The city of Malaga was the main venue for the XI FIMBA Maxibasketball European Championship and was held from June 24 to July 3, 2022. The tournament, which should have been held on similar dates in 2020, was held in various halls sports in the capital of Malaga and some nearby municipalities. Before the pandemic was declared by Covid19, a total of 234 teams from more than 40 different countries had made their pre-registration in the Championship
The European Maxibasketball Championship is the official championship organised by the International Maxibasketball Federation (FIMBA) and welcomes men’s players over 35 years of age and women’s players over 30. The tournament is structured in categories divided by age ranges of five years. The men’s competition will have championships in the categories o35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80 and the women’s, o30, 35,40,45,50,55,60 and 65.
The organisers were still very attentive to the evolution of Covid19 around the world. The effect of the vaccination made it possible for us to once again enjoy the passion of maxibasketball, and more than 250 teams participated in the 18 existing categories. Many non-European teams also participated as ambassadors for their countries. Thus, teams from Asia, Africa, Oceania, and also from North and South America made an appearance. These teams, logically, did not enter the distribution of medals of the European. The great attraction that Spain, and particularly Malaga, have motivated this high participation of non-European teams.
