Turkey might pull out of international event
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolia News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 27, 2009 00:00
PESCARA - Organizational problems with the Mediterranean Games might force the Turkish squad to pull out of the event, which started Friday, a government official has said.
The 16th Mediterranean Games is a multi-sport event held every four years, mainly for nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea, where Europe, Africa and Asia meet. This year’s event, which is being held in Pescara, Italy, until July 5, started with an opening ceremony Friday. Some 3,000 athletes from 23 different countries are due to participate, but already the Turkish squad is considering leaving.
"All our athletes are having major problems," Youth and Sports General Director Yunus Akgül told the Anatolia news agency. "They cannot find a place for training. The accommodation facilities are terrible. Some of the rooms do not even have curtains."
Akgül said he had sent a letter of protest to the organization committee clearly stating that Turkey will not compete in the games if the conditions do not improve.
The general director said Turkish Handball Federation chief Tarık Cengiz asked his permission to leave Pescara because the national handball team has had difficulties finding a place for training. "I told him that this is a state issue and we cannot solely decide on the matter," Akgül said.
Three venues, no training
One of the Turkish teams that has had problems finding a training ground is the women’s national basketball squad, which had to travel to three different places Thursday, losing two hours and leaving only 45 minutes for practice.
The idea for the Mediterranean Games was proposed at the 1948 Summer Olympics by Muhammed Taher Pasha, chairman of the Egyptian Olympic Committee. The event was first held in 1951. The first 10 games took place one year before the Olympic Games, but from 1993 on, they were held the following year
"All our athletes are having major problems," Youth and Sports General Director Yunus Akgül told the Anatolia news agency. "They cannot find a place for training. The accommodation facilities are terrible. Some of the rooms do not even have curtains."
Akgül said he had sent a letter of protest to the organization committee clearly stating that Turkey will not compete in the games if the conditions do not improve.
The general director said Turkish Handball Federation chief Tarık Cengiz asked his permission to leave Pescara because the national handball team has had difficulties finding a place for training. "I told him that this is a state issue and we cannot solely decide on the matter," Akgül said.
Three venues, no training
One of the Turkish teams that has had problems finding a training ground is the women’s national basketball squad, which had to travel to three different places Thursday, losing two hours and leaving only 45 minutes for practice.
The idea for the Mediterranean Games was proposed at the 1948 Summer Olympics by Muhammed Taher Pasha, chairman of the Egyptian Olympic Committee. The event was first held in 1951. The first 10 games took place one year before the Olympic Games, but from 1993 on, they were held the following year