Tanjevic to coach Turkey at World Cup

ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency

66-year-old Serbian coach Bogdan Tanjevic will continue to head Turkey. AA photo

Bogdan Tanyevic will be the coach of the Turkish National Basketball Team until the end of the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the president of the Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) Turgay Demirel has announced.

Demirel said TBF decided that Tanyevic, who had coached the Turkish men’s team during the 2010 Basketball World Championship in Turkey, would coach the team until the 2014 Basketball World Cup that is set to take place in Spain between Aug. 30 and Sept. 14 next year.

Demirel added that Nihat İzic, Ertuğrul Erdoğan and Ömer Uğurata would be co-coaching the team with the help of Tanyevic. “They know the team very well. They have been working with the team for a long time,” said Demirel, stressing that the TBF believed Tanyevic and his helpers would achieve their goal for the 2013 European Championship, which will be held in Slovenia between Sept. 4 and 22 this year. “Their knowledge regarding game formations is really high,” he said.

Hedo’s place uncertain

Hidayet Türkoğlu, the NBA player and captain of the Turkish national basketball team better known as “Hedo,” faces not being able to play with the team after being punished last season for doping in the NBA.

Demirel said Türkoğlu’s situation was considered by the TBF as a serious issue, but he would not be able to give detailed information on it.

“As the agreement between the NBA and FIBA, and the World Anti-Doping Agency is not clear, both of the organizations do not hold the reports. What they say to us is that criminal action could be taken against Hidayet,” Demirel said.