THE planned Fifa meeting to discuss the embargoes on Turkish Cypriot footballers, as reported by the London Turkish Gazette last week, has now been confirmed by UEFA. Fifa, have also confirmed that the meeting is set to go ahead.
The reported meeting is to include representatives from Fifa, UEFA, the Cypriot FA (CFA) and the Turkish Cypriot FA and will take place in Zurich on 20 September.
AGENDA
The agenda of the meeting is to discuss the freedom of Turkish Cypriots to participate in football internationally and follows the cancellation of a friendly match between English team Luton Town and Turkish Cypriot team Çetikaya in July. The match was called off after the English FA came under pressure from the (Greek) Cypriot FA .
The cancellation raised questions about the ethical stance of the CFA and whether their actions were politically motivated. Last week, the director of Football Against Racism In Football (FARE), Piara Power, exclusively told the London Turkish Gazette the CFA have been acting beyond their responsibilities as a sports governing body.
Chairman of Çetinkaya, Zeki Ziya hopes the committee will discuss ways to affiliate Turkish Cypriot teams with Fifa and UEFA, after the Cyprus Football Association have repeatedly insisted the teams should register with them first.
Mr Ziya expressed concerns last week that UEFA’s Vice President Marios Leftkaritis would take part in the meeting, because he is also president of the CFA. He had believed at that stage that Mr Leftkaritis would be there in his capacity as CFA president and claimed he may have too much influence on the debate if he also represents UEFA.
According to a report by Greek Cypriot paper, the Financial Mirror Mr Lefkaritis has announced that UEFA are part of the committee. He was reported as saying the meeting’s agenda was open but that no decision can be taken "if [the] CFA does not agree".
He was also quoted as saying: "If you [Turkish Cypriots] want to play football on an international basis, then you must join the CFA."
Fifa were unavailable for comment as the Gazette went to press. A spokesman for UEFA also claimed to be unaware of the meeting, saying the only news they have had of it are Fifa’s comments in the media.
DISAPPOINTMENT
Campaigners for Turkish Cypriot footballers’ rights are now claiming the meeting may not provide the platform that Çetinkaya representatives had hoped.
Fevzi Hussein of Embargoed!, who helped to initiate the talks with the FA and FARE in the UK, said: "Whilst we have to be pleased that there is such a high level meeting and the prospects that this might behold, I am very disappointed with the pre-determined stance that Marios Lefkaritis has already openly stated. He is already threatening the right of veto even before the talks on 20 September have commenced. His comments are an affront to all Turkish Cypriots and demonstrate very clearly just why we have a problem between our two communities.
"We are hopeful that Fifa and UEFA will see beyond this position and see the right of every person / country to play international football in line with their own policies vis-a-vis tackling racism and xenophobia."
He went on: " When you consider that countries such as Liechtenstein and San Marino with populations of 35,000 and 29,000 respectively are both members of Fifa and UEFA I can see no justification not to allow TRNC to have the same footballing membership status. This is a point echoed by Piara Power of FARE too." A spokesman for Fifa said no decisions would be taken at the meeting, which will not host a committee.
Source: http://www.londragazete.com/popup.php/c ... glish_News
