TURKEY 2010 | 16th FIBA World championships

Turkey is scheduled to host the world’s most important basketball event in 2010.

Organized every four years since 1950 by the International Basketball Federation – FIBA, the World Basketball Championship for men will be held from the 28th August to 12th September, 2010 in Turkey, with a total of 80 games to be played. Twenty four national teams from five continents will first compete in preliminary game sin Ankara, Antalya, Izmir and Istanbul before playing the finals in Istanbul.

The hosts, Turkey played in the 2002 tournament In USA and 2006 tournament in Japan. The courts to be used are new in the cities of Ankara and Antalya, as well as Abdi Lpekci Sports Arena in Istanbul and the Halkapinar Sports hall in Izmir.

Statistics for the 2006 championships in Japan make it easier to understand and appreciate the value, importance and sheer size of the world championships, after some 225,000 tickets were sold during the tournament; the matches were broadcasted to 779 million television viewers in 132 countries; 2,800 members of the press from 63 countries were accredited; a record 375 million hits were recorded at the official championships website, which was available in four languages; and the event was watched by over 5.3 billion people around the world – all a good indication to the focus of world interest Turkey is going to become this year.

Groups

A Serbia,Argentina, Australia, Jordan, Germany and Angola

B Croatia, Brazil, Tunisia, Slovenia, Iran and USA

C China, Turkey, Russia, Puerto Rico, Côte d'Ivoire and Greece

D Lithuania, Lebanon, France, Spain, Canada and New Zealand



Dreams of double glory in Brazil, Spain, USA, Argentina

LOS ANGELES (2010 FIBA World Championship) – Imagine the mood of a country if more than one of its national teams were to win a world title in the same year. It’s unlikely, but not impossible. At least such a scenario does not seem out of the realm of possibility this year. Consider Brazil. They are always among the best teams in football and will travel to the World Cup in South Africa as one of the favorites. As FIBA Americas Championship winners last summer, there is reason to believe they can be contenders at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey, too.

Argentina are also a proud football nation that is always among the contenders for World Cup glory. Gold-medal winners in the men’s basketball tournament at the 2004 Olympics, Argentina are the number one team in the FIBA Rankings. In Spain, there is talk of that the country’s football team – the champions of Euro 2008 – winning the World Cup in South Africa and following that up with a title at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. Spain won the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan and Pau Gasol, the MVP of that event, and of last year’s EuroBasket in Poland after firing Spain to their first gold medal in that competition, offered some thoughts to the Brazilian website, lacenet.

"This summer, we could be world champions in basketball and football,” Gasol was quoted as saying. “It would be madness in Spain …“To be honest, the national (basketball) team is at its best time and the football national team as well. I really hope both can win the World Championships.” In Turkey, Team USA will go into the tournament as the pick of most experts to lift the title although there are plenty of good teams that will be ready to challenge them. “I think Brazil can be among the top four,” Gasol said.

"I think Argentina, USA and Spain will be candidates for the title although Greece, Russia, Serbia, France and hosts Turkey will be very dangerous teams.” Some people are predicting a rematch of the 2008 Olympic gold medal game in which Team USA beat Spain. Team USA has been a nemesis for the Spanish in basketball the past several years, beating them 102-94 in the Quarter-Finals of the 2004 Olympics in Greece and then overcoming them twice at the Beijing Games – including a 118-107 victory in the gold-medal game.

Maybe no one should write off the United States doing a double because while they are awesome in basketball, the football team is pretty good, too. Team USA certainly won Spain’s respect last June when they beat them 2-0 at the Confederations Cup in South Africa.

FIBA

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