High-level meeting held with regards to the inhumane sports embargoes
The inhumane sports embargoes faced by Turkish Cypriots, which have been continuing for decades, and the appropriate steps that can be taken thereto were laid out onto the table in a high-level meeting that was chaired by President Ersin Tatar.
The meeting, held at the Presidency, was attended by Prime Minister Ünal Üstel and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu and other officials. Discussions were held as to how the TRNC can participate in international sports tournaments such as the Islamic Solidarity Games, that is to be held in Konya, Türkiye, from August 9 to 18. The President stated that he has highlighted the unjust issue on numerous counts to high-level international actors, including the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
The Islamic Games, a multi-sport event for athletes from Muslim countries, was first held in İzmir, Türkiye, in 1980. At the time, the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus was in existence and Turkish Cypriot athletes representing their country had taken part in different sports branches in the tournament. The President explained that the TRNC was unable to participate in any of the sports tournaments held under the Islamic Solidarity Games – held once every four years -- due to internal changes governing the rules of the organisation.
The President stated that the exclusion from the upcoming Islamic games in Konya is not unique to the TRNC and explained that the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the organisation that is responsible for the direction and control of the Islamic Solidarity Games. He added that other OIC observer members including Russia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Central African Republic and Thailand are also unable to participate in the Islamic Solidarity Games due to the rules.
Acknowledging that in this context, Türkiye, as a member state of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, were hosting the tournament and that the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had extended an invitation to him to attend the opening ceremony of the Islamic Solidarity Games, President Tatar expressed his gratitude to the Turkish President and Turkish authorities for inviting TRNC officials to attend the opening ceremony.
President Tatar stated that he is determined to attend such organisations and to bring to the agenda the sports embargoes faced by Turkish Cypriot youth that has been continuing for many years, in his bilateral meetings that will be held at the event.
The President underlined the importance of highlighting the fact that the outdated sports embargo continues to be enforced against the Turkish Cypriot youth and stated that the Presidency and relevant state departments shall continue efforts to have this inhumane embargo ended