Lorraine Landon was named in the 2011 Australia Day Honours List as the recipient of the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to basketball. When invited to comment, Lorraine said: “Initially when I received the letter from the government, I was really shocked.” “Once I told my husband Kevin, I was really quite thrilled and proud. I think from my point of view, it’s a wonderful recognition of a long time in the sport, but also recognition for our sport itself.”
Landon’s award has been warmly received and endorsed by the basketball community in Australia. Lorraine has indeed had a lifetime of involvement with the sport and in that time has covered a vast array of basketball roles from player, through coach, team manager, administrator and board member. Her involvement has been from club and association level, through State Association to the National Federation.
Lorraine is presently fulfilling her second consecutive term as President of FIBA’s Women’s Commission and in fact, when she should have been at home in Australia receiving congratulations on her award, she was winging her way to Geneva for meetings of FIBA’s Women’s Commission and its Competitions Commission.
In a lifetime of achievements and proud moments, Landon oversaw the golden era of Bankstown Basketball Association during the years when it came to dominate the senior and junior basketball scene in NSW and launced teams into the Men’s and Women’s National Basketball League. She, along with a close circle of friends and colleagues, oversaw the growth of the Bankstown Basketball Stadium into the State’s premiere facility.
Lorraine was General Manager of the Sydney Kings for an almost ten year period, that covered their formation and entry in the National League, to their emergence as one of the most successful and high profile sporting franchises of any sporting code in Sydney. Landon left the Sydney Kings organisation to take up a position as Basketball Competition Manager for the Sydney Olympic Games and in that role won high praise from FIBA, who saw fit after the event, to award her a FIBA Order of Merit for her efforts. Her successful efforts did not go unnoticed by the IOC who also awarded her the IOC Golden Olympic Rings for her part in delivering the “most successful ever” Olympic Games.
Since 2001, Lorraine has filled the role of General Manager, National Teams and Competitions for Basketball Australia. Lorraine’s contribution to our sport has previously been recognised with a swag of honours among them, Life Membership of Bankstown Basketball, Life Membership of NSW Basketball, Life Membership of the Women’s National Basketball League, Life Membership of Basketball Australia. In 2003 she was the sole recipient of the IOC’s Women in Sport Award and in 2009 she was named by FIBA Oceania as one of 40 Movers and Shapers – personalities from across the 21 members of FIBA Oceania who had played a significant formative role during the organisation’s first 40 years.
Immediate past FIBA President and close lifelong friend Bob Elphinston commented: “Lorraine has a distinguished basketball career since the early 1970’s including captaining NSW to a National Championship, Managing Bankstown Basketball Association for many years and making an outstanding contribution to the very successful Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games as Basketball Competition Manager.
Her contribution to the (Australian) Women’s National Basketball League is unequalled over its 30 year history. The outstanding success of the Australian Opals and other Australian national teams internationally, is due in many ways to the contribution of Lorraine Landon. She is regarded as the foremost women’s basketball administrator in the world today.” “Through a lifetime of friendship and professional collaboration, I have known and worked closely with Lorraine and I am delighted that her achievements have been recognised by the Australian people with the Order of Australia Medal. FIBA Oceania congratulates Lorraine Landon on this impressive national honour.”