International Olympic Committee Executive Board member Prince Feisal Al Hussein, who is also President of the Jordan Olympic Committee, has been appointed as the Council's founding chairman.

Holding its first in-person meeting at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mies since September 2019, FIBA's Central Board approved the creation of the Safeguarding Council.

Its purpose is to advise FIBA on "matters related to safeguarding and protection of vulnerable groups of basketball participants".

This is with the goal of ensuring a safe environment for all within the sport.

A safeguarding scandal within the Mali Basketball Federation (FMBB) struck the sport last year, with the McLaren Independent Mali Basketball Abuse Investigation report finding an "institutionalised acceptance of the abuse of players" at the National Federation.

This led to the suspensions of several Malian officials and coaches, including FMBB President Harouna Maiga on July 23.

In June last year, FIBA President Hamane Niang opted to "temporarily step aside" while Richard McLaren conducted his investigation into the allegations of sexual abuse.

He was not accused of committing sexual abuse in an extensive New York Times report, and strongly denied allegations that he largely overlooked the assault of women as FMBB President and Sports Minister of Mali.

Niang served as President of the FMBB from 1999 to 2007 and Mali's Sports Minister from 2007 to 2011.

He was elected as FIBA President in 2019, and returned to office following the publication of McLaren's report in September 2021 after investigators "received no direct evidence from anyone about President Niang’s knowledge of alleged sexual harassment within the FMBB".

After the report was published, FIBA said it had taken "numerous steps" to "establish a safeguard and protection service for the players of the under-19 and under-16 women's teams from Mali", and vowed to launch a "global players safeguarding initiative" to be approved by the Central Board.