FIBA Boss: 2010 worlds most competitive championship ever

FIBA Secretary-General Patrick Baumann has said that 2010 World Basketball Championship is the most competitive championship ever. Turkey is currently hosting the championship in four of its cities -- Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir and Kayseri. At a news conference at Istanbul's Abdi Ipekci Arena, Baumann said that second round games have ended successfully, adding that there was a strong competition and physical defense in the championship, and that the results of the games are expected to be close. Baumann said that it was difficult to determine the ranking before the ongoing tournament ended. Despite the rough and tumble games in the courts, basketball players have been "performing very elegantly," he added. Commenting on the Group C thriller between Turkey and Greece, Baumann said, "Friendship prevailed in the court and in the stands." The championship now moves to Istanbul for the single-elimination (knockout). The United States beat Iran at Abdi Ipekci Arena on Wednesday in a match in which sportsmanship triumphed over animosity.