Coomans named interim FIBA President

FIBA Europe has confirmed that current Vice President Cyriel Coomans will step in as interim President following the untimely passing of Olafur Rafnsson. The organization has said that Coomans will take control of European Basketball until a FIBA general assembly can be held to elect a new leader.

Belgian born Cyriel Coomans has been serving as current FIBA Vice President under the command of Rafnsson while he is also the President of the Belgian Basketball Federation.

Coomans replaces Rafnsson after he was tragically found dead in his hotel room in Geneva Switzerland at the age of 50, he was there to open the new FIBA headquarters. He was in his last year as a sometimes controversial President and was due to hand the reigns over to Serbia’s Dejan Bodiroga. FIBA has not revealed if Bodriga will now become President earlier than expected or whether Coomans will see out Rafnsson’s tenure. Another possibility is that a new interim will be elected, but this outcome seems unlikely.

Coomans has been on the FIBA board since 2002 and was named as Vice President in 2010.