ITA - Italy extend Recalcati contract

ROME (2010 FIBA World Championship) – Italy coach Carlo Recalcati will remain in charge of the national team at least until the end of the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

The Italian Basketball Federation (FIP) have announced on their website: “The Federal Council has reached an agreement with national men’s team coach Carlo Recalcati, deciding to continue the working relationship until September 30, 2010. Such agreement previews the extension of the working relationship based on the sporting results that will be achieved.”

Recalcati, whose contract was set to end in September 2009, will this summer attempt to lead the Azzurri into the EuroBasket in Poland by winning the Additional Qualifying Round (AQR) in August.

France, Finland, Portugal, Belgium and Bosnia and Herzegovina are also in the AQR.

The EuroBasket is the qualifying event for the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

If Italy lose in the Additional Qualifying Round for the EuroBasket, or if they reach Poland but then fail to qualify for Turkey, they would then require one of four wild cards that FIBA will extend to countries to complete the 24-team field in the World Championship.

Puerto Rico, Serbia and Montenegro, Turkey and Italy received wild cards to play at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.

The 64-year-old Recalcati, a former Italy national team player, has been at the helm of the Azzurri for several years.

He guided them to a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2003 in Sweden and to silver at the Athens Olympics the following year.

FIBA