By Graham C. Lim
Dr. Carl Men Ky Ching is a man of a few words, but as a longtime sportsman-businessman-Philanthropist, he has been able to accomplish the things that he set to do during his lifetime.
His selfless leadership has been impeccable and his achievements as a basketball sports executive have been immeasurable.
The Hong Kong-based Dr. Ching has loved the game of basketball like nobody else. His dedication to the sport as a basketball leader and organizer has brought Asian countries to the forefront of the international map.
“For the love of basketball” has been Dr. Ching’s mantra all his life.
In that respect, the Asian University Basketball Federation has honored Dr. Carl as its Chairman Emeritus for more than a decade when he was elected as the International Basketball Federation President in 2002 during the FIBA Congress held in Indianapolis, USA.
His much-respected stature has brought the AUBF to greater heights.
Established in 1998, the AUBF is Asia’s only university federation duly recognized by the Asian University Sports Federation, which was led by president Dr. Enoch Markum and Secretary-General Ekodjatmiko Sukarso, both from Indonesia, during its inception. The AUBF later became an independent organization and joined the Asia Pacific University Sports Union, furthering expanding to the Asia Pacific regions.
Dr. Ching is a hands-on sports leader. His persistence and perseverance, coupled with his innovative ideas, helped produce the first Asian professional league known as the Asian Basketball Association.
He took a creative-mind approach to this seldom-tapped field, particularly in basketball. His novel formula for success and excellence spurred him to become the president of the International Basketball Federation from 2002 to 2006.
Dr. Ching was then the head of the Asian Basketball Confederation, which has since been rebranded to FIBA-Asia Championship and then FIBA Asia Cup, during its formative years.
The AUBF organizes the Asian University Basketball Championship once in two years, if not annually when a country wishes to host the university-level event.
The AUBF will not have grown big without the presence of Dr. Ching.
For this selfless effort to prop up the AUBF through the years, it has been recommended to the Executive Board of the Asian University Basketball Federation that the succeeding Asian University Basketball Championships be named the Dr. Carl Men Ky Ching Classic Cup in his honor.
