MIES (Switzerland) - The latest class of newly certified FIBA-Licensed Agents are ready to go to work after passing their respective tests, with the diverse mix of backgrounds particularly striking.

There were 22 nationalities represented from the 41 people who sat the test at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mies, including a good representation of women.

There were also 10 people looking to make the transition from a playing environment, while many others came from all different walks of life and it was arguably some of those that were most intriguing. 

Ngoza Mazarura who lives in South Africa was excited to pass her test and is looking forward to putting it to use on a continent where the sport continues to grow rapidly in popularity.

She said: "The growth of basketball is really cool as there is so much basketball being played in Africa along with the development of basketball. Now we need people who are skilled and qualified to do the [agent] job.

"I am Head of Sport at a school so I am very involved in sports and also have a Masters degree in Sports Business."

She continued: "If you look at Africa, with the game becoming more professional, we need more people who can look after the players. With the game becoming more professional, we need people who can look after the players. I want people to have a place to go where they can get the right advice, good contracts and so the more people who qualify to work in this kind of space, the better."

As usual, the newly qualified agents were able to look around the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball and the Naismith Arena, as well as taking the test itself. That was an appealing process for another African woman, Silvana Furtardo Da Silva Cohelho of Angola.

She said: "It's my first experience here at FIBA. There is a spirit in terms of a common mindset around getting things done and overcoming challenges. That is what I got from the presentations and the questions today."

Interestingly, Da Silva Cohelho had no previous experience of basketball but was adamant that it could be the career pathway she needs to take.

She explained: "My professional background is law, and right now I am a diplomat.

"I would love to tap into the internal regulation for agents in Angola, and I would like to push for more regulations, and see aswell  if I can create an agency."

Finally, Marin Ribac of Slovenia was one of those present who had a basketball background and he feels it is going to help him in his future career. 

He revealed: "I used to play until I was 18 years old and I have a lot of contacts as I also work in the commercial sports data space. 

"I have had sporadic dealings with agents and clubs and I saw a lot of opportunity to establish an agency that would bring a higher level of transparency in player dealings and would also reinvest back into players for the off-season. 

"I want to make a difference in the basketball world," declared Ribac. 

To find out more about FIBA-Licensed Agents, click here. 

FIBA