Jigs
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Wednesday, September 15, 2010
ISTANBUL - Daily News with wires
The International Basketball Federation, or FIBA, has fined the Turkish Basketball Federation, or TBF, 3,200 Swiss Francs for interrupting a performance by female dancers during the World Basketball Championship.
TBF was hit with the sanction for not allowing the Red Foxes, a Ukrainian dance group, to perform their show during a 2010 FIBA World Basketball Championship game between Turkey and Russia in Ankara on Aug. 29.
The Red Foxes were regularly performing during timeouts and breaks during the games at the Ankara Arena, but disappeared during Turkey’s games. Turkish media claimed the groups shows were canceled at games attended by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review tried to contact FIBA officials and the local organizing committee for their response to the sudden absence of the dancers, but they were unavailable to make an immediate comment on the issue.
The New York Times quoted the dance team’s coach, Elena Rozhkova, as saying her team “was pulled from the past three Turkey games for a political reason.”
Basketball’s international governing body admitted to the daily that cultural adjustments were made. Apart from Turkey’s matches, The United States-Iran game played in Istanbul’s Abdi İpekçi Arena saw cheerleaders perform with less revealing outfits.
“It is a balance between respecting the culture and making sure basketball delivers all the pace, excitement and entertainment that goes with the World Championship,” FIBA Secretary-General Patrick Baumann was quoted as saying in the daily. “If it needs a little bit of adjustment, that is fine with us.” TBF officials, however, denied claims there were political issues behind the cheerleaders’ no-show in Ankara.
“I would like to assure you that the decision had no influence from either the government or the federation itself,” Sancar Sonmez, the TBF spokesman, told the New York Times later.
ISTANBUL - Daily News with wires
The International Basketball Federation, or FIBA, has fined the Turkish Basketball Federation, or TBF, 3,200 Swiss Francs for interrupting a performance by female dancers during the World Basketball Championship.
TBF was hit with the sanction for not allowing the Red Foxes, a Ukrainian dance group, to perform their show during a 2010 FIBA World Basketball Championship game between Turkey and Russia in Ankara on Aug. 29.
The Red Foxes were regularly performing during timeouts and breaks during the games at the Ankara Arena, but disappeared during Turkey’s games. Turkish media claimed the groups shows were canceled at games attended by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review tried to contact FIBA officials and the local organizing committee for their response to the sudden absence of the dancers, but they were unavailable to make an immediate comment on the issue.
The New York Times quoted the dance team’s coach, Elena Rozhkova, as saying her team “was pulled from the past three Turkey games for a political reason.”
Basketball’s international governing body admitted to the daily that cultural adjustments were made. Apart from Turkey’s matches, The United States-Iran game played in Istanbul’s Abdi İpekçi Arena saw cheerleaders perform with less revealing outfits.
“It is a balance between respecting the culture and making sure basketball delivers all the pace, excitement and entertainment that goes with the World Championship,” FIBA Secretary-General Patrick Baumann was quoted as saying in the daily. “If it needs a little bit of adjustment, that is fine with us.” TBF officials, however, denied claims there were political issues behind the cheerleaders’ no-show in Ankara.
“I would like to assure you that the decision had no influence from either the government or the federation itself,” Sancar Sonmez, the TBF spokesman, told the New York Times later.
