Patrick Baumann, FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member  on Wednesday welcomed a delegation of the Dalian Wanda Group - a Chinese conglomerate that operates in commercial properties, the cultural industry and the world of finance - headed by its Chairman, Wang Jianlin.

Through the purchase of sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media in February 2015, and the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) - owner of the IRONMAN brand - in August 2015, the Dalian Wanda Group has become a major player in the world of sport through its newly-established subsidiary Wanda Sports Holding Co Ltd. The sports company is looking to becoming a global leader in sports having the backdrop of 1.3 billion consumers of increasing wealth in China.

FIBA and the Dalian Wanda Group exchanged ideas on how to grow basketball worldwide and especially in China, which will host the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Source: FIBA