US to meet Iran at World Basketball Champs

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-12-16 10:19

ISTANBUL: The United States will face Iran and Greece will take on Turkey in a pair of politically charged group games at next year's World Basketball Championship.

The Americans and Iranians were drawn in Group B on Tuesday along with Croatia, Brazil, Tunisia and Slovenia for the Aug 28-Sept 12 competition in Ankara, Kayseri, Istanbul and Izmir.

The US and Iran have never met before in a top level men's or women's FIBA competition.

The 24 teams at the men's tournament were drawn into four groups of six, with the top four from each advancing to the knockout round.

Greece, who will also face China, Russia, Puerto Rico and Cote d'Ivoire in Group C, appear to have drawn the toughest opposition. The Greeks reached the 2006 final but lost to Spain.

In other groups, defending champions Spain will lead Group D against Lithuania, Lebanon, France, Canada and New Zealand and Argentina will face Serbia, Australia, Jordan, Germany and Angola in Group A.

The Argentines are the top-ranked team in the world, but the US won the Olympic gold medal last year in Beijing.

The winner of the worlds automatically qualifies for the 2012 London Olympics.

The US and Iran have had some memorable moments in other sports.

In January 2007, the United States sent 20 wrestlers to Iran to participate in the Persian Gulf Cup. That tournament marked the first time American wrestlers had been to Iran since president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came to power in 2005.

At the 1998 World Cup of soccer in France, the US and Iran played each other in Group F. The Iranians won the match in Lyon 2-1, but both teams failed to advance to the knockout round.

In basketball, Iran haven't been much of a threat to the US but Hamed Haddadi has made it to the NBA, playing center for the Memphis Grizzlies.

Last month, two Los Angeles Clippers television broadcasters were suspended for one game for their comments about Haddadi.

Longtime announcer Ralph Lawler and partner Michael Smith made the off-the-cuff comments during a telecast from Memphis. The on-air banter, which included remarks to Borat actor Sacha Baron Cohen, offended a viewer who e-mailed Fox to complain.