Cyprus-Forum.com

[utu]

The realities are very differant to what you have been told, and my argument still stands because the TCs had an opportunity to end their football isolation, and they turned it down...

NICOSIA, Cyprus: The Cyprus Football Association says talks with the breakaway Turkish Cypriots to unify football on the ethnically divided island have collapsed.

The CFA said in a statement Friday it considers "the matter over" after the Cyprus Turkish Football Association turned down a FIFA- and UEFA-brokered deal on ending its decades-old exclusion from international football.

The CFA said a Feb. 2 meeting in Zurich to sign the deal has been canceled.

FIFA and UEFA only recognize the Greek Cypriot-run CFA. The breakaway Turkish Cypriot state is recognized only by Turkey, and FIFA rules don't allow for two associations to operate in one country.

Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded in response to a coup by supporters of a union with Greece.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/01/ ... otball.php

It's academic now anyway, what with the collapse of the talks as stated above. Sport is the big loser, all because of politics.

[paliometoxo]

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/01/ ... otball.php

NICOSIA, Cyprus: The Cyprus Football Association said Friday that talks with breakaway Turkish Cypriots to unify football on the divided island have collapsed.

The Greek Cypriot-run CFA said it considers "the matter over" after the Cyprus Turkish Football Association rejected a FIFA and UEFA-brokered deal on ending its decades-old exclusion from the international game.

The CFA said a Feb. 2 meeting in Zurich to sign the deal has been canceled.

"We are not willing to again become involved in unending discussions and more of this back-and-forth when the other side doesn't have the will to finish what it itself has started," the CFA said in a statement.

FIFA and UEFA only recognize the CFA. The breakaway Turkish Cypriot state is recognized only by Turkey, and FIFA rules don't allow for two associations to operate in one country.

Cyprus was split into an internationally recognized Greek Cypriot south and a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north in 1974, when Turkey invaded in response to a coup by Athens-backed supporters of union with Greece.

The two sides started talks in 2007 on a deal to end Turkish Cypriot isolation from international football.

The talks culminated in a preliminary agreement that would have put the CTFA under the CFA's direction, but would allow the Turkish Cypriots to hold international friendlies and run their own championship.

But CFTA president Omer Adal said he could not sign the deal because it ceded too much authority to the CFA. He said a provision granting the Greek Cypriot association final say on international friendlies was the main stumbling block to an agreement.

Adal said the talks are not over and that he would continue to pursue a compromise with the CFA.

"If we find another way, we shall go on," Adal told The Associated Press.

The CFA accused the Turkish Cypriots of politicizing the issue. Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat said earlier this month the deal couldn't be accepted because it would dilute Turkish Cypriot control over their own institutions.

Talat and Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias restarted moribund peace talks last September, but have yet to make any real progress.

Talat reportedly raised the issue of football during a meeting with Christofias this week.

[Viewpoint]

Gcs renegged on the deal yet again.

[paliometoxo]

gcs or was it talat and turkey that went into a rage syaing no?? if it was not for them pressuring this deal not to happen i think it would of

[Viewpoint]

gcs or was it talat and turkey that went into a rage syaing no?? if it was not for them pressuring this deal not to happen i think it would of

The GCs firstly agreed to an independent committee and then renegged changing this to a GC committee overviewed by FIFA, so we would be at the mercy of GCs yet again.

[paliometoxo]

its football who cares who is the "boss" or in charge

[Viewpoint]

its football who cares who is the "boss" or in charge

If they decide which matched where and with whom and where you fly from plus funding then it matters a great deal.

[Kifeas]

gcs or was it talat and turkey that went into a rage syaing no?? if it was not for them pressuring this deal not to happen i think it would of

The GCs firstly agreed to an independent committee and then renegged changing this to a GC committee overviewed by FIFA, so we would be at the mercy of GCs yet again.

That's what your leadership told you!

[Viewpoint]

gcs or was it talat and turkey that went into a rage syaing no?? if it was not for them pressuring this deal not to happen i think it would of

The GCs firstly agreed to an independent committee and then renegged changing this to a GC committee overviewed by FIFA, so we would be at the mercy of GCs yet again.

That's what your leadership told you!

Thats what the Lawyer Omer Adal told me..head of the TCFF.

[Kifeas]

gcs or was it talat and turkey that went into a rage syaing no?? if it was not for them pressuring this deal not to happen i think it would of

The GCs firstly agreed to an independent committee and then renegged changing this to a GC committee overviewed by FIFA, so we would be at the mercy of GCs yet again.

That's what your leadership told you!

Thats what the Lawyer Omer Adal told me..head of the TCFF.

You see, ....didn't I tell you so?