Is it right or is it wrong?
By Ralph Kratzer
I have published a few posts since the beginning of November about the planned football agreement between North Cyprus and South Cyprus.
Now it seems there is a result in the form of a merge of both football associations.
This could be seen as one important step for the reunification of the, since 1974, divided island.
But as it always happens with agreements like this, there are two sides of the coin. Read the latest news we have found regarding this topic and draw your own opinion.
Turkish Cypriots merge with Greek Side in Football
Turkish Cypriots take the first step of establishing an association with the Greek Cypriot side by football diplomacy.
The football federation of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC) affirms merging with the Greek Cypriot Football Association, President of TRNC Football Federation, Hasan Sertoglu, says.
The agreement signed in Zurich by the Turkish Cypriot Football Federation (CTFF) and the Cypriot Football Association (CFA) was confirmed by 42 clubs with voting powers in the General Council of the TRNC Football Federation.
“It is not an end but a start,” Sertoglu said and he added, “This is historic for Turkish Cypriot football, and in case the clubs’ presidents confirm, the Turkish-Cypriot federation would be a party in UEFA and FIFA.”
TRNC President slams Football Deal
The President of the TRNC, Dervis Eroglu, has called a deal which will see the Turkish Cypriot Football Federation unite with the Greek Cypriot Football Association as a ‘wrong step’.
The President has slammed the move made by the Cyprus Turkish Football Federation (CTFF) to unite with the Greek Cypriot Football Association (CFA).
Last month, the head of the CTFF, Hasan Sertoglu, signed a deal with his Greek Cypriot counterpart under the supervision of UEFA and FIFA officials. The deal brought the CTFF under the CFA umbrella, which would lift the isolation of Turkish Cypriot football clubs and players, allowing them to play in official UEFA and FIFA competitions.
Since the TRNC is not recognized by anyone except Turkey, the country has been under international embargoes since the 1974 Turkish Peace Operation in response to a coup by the Greek Cypriot far-right militant group EOKA ousted the constitutional government, of which Turkey was a guarantor, resulted in the division of the island to separate warring native Turkish and Greek Cypriots.
Eroglu described the agreement as a ‘wrong step,’ reiterating that even in the scope of gaining UEFA approval, the move was a mistake, as ‘the support will go to CFA and not the CTFF.’
Due to embargoes, the TRNC national team has only been able to play in non-official international tournaments like the FIFI Wild Cup against other non-official or unrecognized teams like Greenland and Iraqi Kurdistan. League teams have not been able to host any official matches with foreign clubs on its soil, nor have they been able to participate in official matches abroad.
Source: worldbulletin.net
do you know how many members are in the general council of the cyprus football association thank you
Hello Mehmet, please try to get the information on their website http://www.cfa.com.cy/En
I hope Greek and Turkish Cypriots will unify. a unified Cyprus is a strong Cyprus