2010 FIBA World Championship Turkey Wild Card
World Basketball Ruling Body FIBA Look At Criteria For Final Bids
Oct 2, 2009
The 2010 FIBA World Championship for Men will for the second time in history have four wild cards to be awarded to nations to participate in Turkey in the 2010 summer. There are a number of criteria - albeit some very vague - which FIBA will consider when making its decision.
2006 Wild Card Teams
The 2006 FIBA World Championship saw the expansion of the field from 16 teams in 2002 to 24, making available for four wild cards for spots in Japan. Those four were given to Turkey, Serbia & Montenegro, Puerto Rico and Italy.
Turkey was an easy bet since the basketball-crazy nation was the host of the next World Championship in 2010. Serbia & Montenegro of course had the lengthy tradition of winning international tournaments as the remnants of former powers Yugoslavia. Puerto Rico had failed to qualify from the Americas - missing out in favor of Venzuela - but the Puerto Ricans have a long history with the Worlds, having played in 10 of the 14 competitions prior to 2006 and six times reaching the quarterfinals despite never winning a medal. And Italy were considered a European basketball power having clinched EuroBasket bronze in 2003 and Olympic silver in 2004.
Criteria For Wild Cards
Here are FIBA's stated criteria for awarding of the wild cards:
+ In order to be invited, a team must have participated in its 2009 FIBA Zone Qualifying Championship.
+ There can be a maximum number of three teams from a given FIBA Zone.
Sporting Aspects
In addition to the two requirements, FIBA states it will also take into account something it calls "Sporting Aspects", defining that as so:
+ Popularity of basketball in the country
+ Quality and sporting results of the country's national team
+ Quality of work by the National Federation
Economic Aspects
And FIBA also says it will consider what it calls "Economic Aspects", meaning:
+ Involvement of local television station(s) and/or competition(s) in domestic and international basketball
+ Importance of the country to FIBA's marketing and television partners
+ Importance of the country to the Organizers of the FIBA World Championship
20 Of 24 Teams Set Already
The 20 teams that qualify for the 2010 Worlds have already been determined. Turkey are in automatically as hosts and the United States make it automatically as reigning Olympics champions. Angola, Ivory Coast and Tunisia advanced from FIBA Africa while Argentina, Brazil, Canada and Puerto Rico made it from FIBA Americas. FIBA Asia is sending China, Iran and Jordan with FIBA Oceania contributing Australia and New Zealand. Advancing from FIBA Europe were EuroBasket 2009 champions Spain as well as Serbia, Greece, Slovenia, France and Croatia.
Decision Due In December
The decision on the four wild cards will be made by the FIBA executive body Central Board during their next meeting on December 12-13, 2009 in Istanbul.
Favorites For 2010 Wild Cards
There are a number of favorites to gather the four wild cards. Among them are Great Britain, Lithuania, Russia, Germany, Dominican Republic, Nigeria, Lebanon and Chinese Taipei. Guaranteed is that no more than three teams can come from one FIBA zone.
Europe
Great Britain failed to get out of the first round at EuroBasket 2009 but the group included three of the four semifinalists in champions Spain, Serbia and Slovenia. Great Britain is pushing basketball hard and London will be hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics. Basketball is the most popular sport in Lithuania, who besides having a storied tradition also will be hosting EuroBasket 2011. The 2007 European champions Russia reached the 2009 European quarters despite not having a number of stars, the biggest of whom Andrei Kirilenko has pledged his attendance in Turkey. And FIBA will also be hard pressed to pass up Germany as they try to push television there and Dirk Nowitzki would be a huge attraction.
Americas
Luckily for FIBA the Americas took care of themselves with their main nations all qualifying for Turkey on their own. Still, Dominican Republic would be a worthy wild card.
Africa
Nigeria have made strides in their basketball program and FIBA recognize that the Africans are an emerging power and would love to have them in Turkey.
Asia
Asia only had three automatic spots and Lebanon drew the short straw in the qualifiers. Basketball is huge in Lebanon whose the national team played at the 2002 and 2006 Worlds and won silver in Asia in 2001, 2005 and 2007. FIBA would not do wrong in awarding Lebanon a wild card. And Chinese Taipei would also be a worthy recipient.
Draw In December
Just days after the wild cards are named FIBA will stay in Istanbul to make the draw for the 2010 Worlds on December 15, 2009.
