Ken Madsen MBE

Beginning his career as a referee, Madsen represented Queensland at national Championships including the Open men’s Championship held in Brisbane in 1965.

He went on to hold the positions of President of the Queensland Basketball Referees’ Association and then President of Basketball Queensland (BQ).

Through his initiative alongside Harold Peacock and Bob Rayner, Basketball Queensland built the Vince Hickey Stadium (Auchenflower Stadium) in 1973 which was originally a two-court complex before being extended to four courts in the late 1990’s.

Remaining a long-serving member of both the Basketball Queensland and Basketball Australia (BA) boards, Madsen took over administrative roles for Australian delegations as well as national teams when they went overseas for tours and World Championships.

He acted as BA’s Treasurer, Deputy Chairman and a member of the Finance and Audit Committees for many years while being heavily involved in restructures of the business over a number of decades.

Madsen was also a major influence on the BA Honours and Awards Commission which he chaired for 14 years and for his services, Madsen was named a Life Member of both Basketball Australia and Basketball Queensland in the mid-1980’s.

Beginning in the early 1990’s, Madsen took the position of Chair of the NBL Tribunal which was a role he would hold for over 20 years.

His authority during the establishment of the NBL and maintaining the league’s professionalism cannot be overestimated and it extended to Australia’s rise on the international stage as well.

Having a continuous involvement with the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) between 1978 and 2000, Madsen represented BA and the Queensland Olympic Council (QOC).

He then took up the position of President of the QOC and for his service to the sport in the State, Madsen was honoured with Life Membership of the QOC and with a Service to Sport at the Q Sport Awards last year.

His association with FIBA extended to his roles on the Ethics Panel, as well President of the World Legal Commission for one four-year term and three terms as Deputy Chairman of the Commission which looks after all legal matters including rules and regulations for the international game as well as its governance.

Overall, Madsen served on the Legal Commission for 38 years and was bestowed the FIBA Order of Merit in 2010 and has also been nominated for admission to the FIBA Hall of Fame.

Madsen was also honoured for his work in amending the FIBA Oceania constitution and in 2015, he was the recipient of the Patricia Ramsay Award which pays tribute to work done for the betterment of FIBA Oceania.

His career and long-time commitment as a sports’ administrator has contributed immensely to the growth and professionalism of Australian basketball for five decades and he continues to impact the sport at both a national and international level.

Madsen will be inducted alongside four other icons into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame on October 27 while the Gaze Family, Maher Family, Sandy Blythe and Sue Hobbs medals will also be awarded to the most outstanding members of the Australian Boomers, Opals, Rollers and Gliders respectively.