Open letter of the chairman of the “Turkish Cypriot Football Federation” for the efforts for re-unification of football in Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Detay newspaper (17.12.14) reports that Hasan Sertoglu, the chairman of the “Turkish Cypriot Football Federation” (KTFF) sent an open letter “to all Cypriots and to all members of the Cypriot football community”. Sertoglu noted in the letter that the basis was set of ending the isolation of football in Cyprus, which is going on for the last sixty years, with the agreement signed between KTFF and the Cyprus Football Federation (CFA/KOP).
Sertoglu writes in his letter the following: “After 60 years of separation, the ambition is clear since the Turkish-Cypriot football community clearly expressed its goal to regain the position it had in the CFA/KOP before 1955, with all our obligations and all our rights. The CFA/KOP is also ours! Everyone should know that the CFA/KOP, whose founders we are, does not only belong to Greek Cypriots. It is ours as well! Far from me to ignore or to forget the past, its sufferings, its injustices, its lingering sour memories, the lack of trust – on both sides – but football with its general trans-generational appeal can and should play its role to bridge the gaps between our two communities and restart the relations which existed”, he stated.
He also noted in his letter that he cannot ignore the resistances or all the political and legal issues which represent so many hurdles, so many “red lines”, blocking the two communities from doing things together again or even slowing down the best initiatives from both sides. “But we have no choice other than overcoming them. Our duty is to contribute to the rapprochement of our youth by spreading seeds of peace”, he stated.
