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The Steering Committee of the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Men has met in Ankara, under the Chairmanship of the Turkish Minister for Sport, Mr. Murat Başesgioğlu, and FIBA’s Secretary General and IOC member, Mr. Patrick Baumann, to receive the progress report on the advancement of the operations of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC).

A group of independent construction experts evaluated the progress made during the past months and signaled significant improvements in Ankara (Ankara Arena) and Istanbul (Olympic Dome). Although the timelines remain tight and require strict monitoring, the two arenas should be completed on time for the test events to be held in February-March 2010. The Turkish capital, Ankara, will host a preliminary round, while Istanbul’s Olympic Dome will host the critical final phase of the championship.

The venue in Antalya has suffered important delays and, at this stage, it is unlikely that it can be retained as a preliminary site. However, the recently newly elected Mayor of Antalya, Mr. Mustafa Akaydın, assured the Steering Committee that the Municipality would do its utmost to resolve the matter satisfactorily within the next month.

There are no issues as with regards to the other event venues.

The Steering Committee is composed by representatives of the International Basketball Federation, the LOC of the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the Turkish Government. In addition to Mr. Başesgioğlu, Mr. Baumann and Mr. Akaydın. The meeting was also attended by Mr. Melih Gökçek (Mayor of Ankara), by Mr. Yunus Akgül (General Director for Sports and Youth of the Turkish Government), by Mr. Predrag Bogosavljev (FIBA’s Head of Events) and by the following representatives of the Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF): Mr. Turgay Demirel (President), Mr. Ali Özsoy (Secretary General), Mr. Emin Balcı (Event Director) and Mr. Emir Turam (Director of International Relations).

The Steering Committee will meet again next month. Then, on 23rd-24th May 2009, the Turkish Basketball Federation will present a final and detailed status report to the FIBA Central Board about the viability of staging the 2010 World Championship in Turkey.

(Source: AIPS)