Xavier Fanega Prat, a devoted basketball enthusiast from Igualada in the province of Barcelona, has spent more than forty years assembling one of Europe’s most valuable private archives dedicated to the sport.
His collection, which now tips the scales at over 160 kilograms, comprises press clippings, books, magazines, photographs, medals, uniforms and a wealth of documents that trace the evolution of basketball across continents.
The Legend of Fernando Martín
The network that Fanega cultivated began with a handful of post‑exchange contacts in the 1980s and has grown to more than five hundred correspondents, enabling the acquisition of materials from Spain, the rest of Europe and the Atlantic region.
In a move that underscores his commitment to preserving basketball’s cultural heritage, Fanega recently donated his entire archive to the FIBA Foundation, where it now resides in the FIBA Pedro Ferrándiz Library in Switzerland, a facility dedicated to protecting the sport’s history.
This donation aligns with the Foundation’s mission to safeguard basketball’s legacy for future generations, ensuring that the stories of pioneers like Martín continue to inspire players and fans worldwide.