Turkey mourns as it bids farewell to its football federation chief

A ceremony was held to commemorate Dogan at the TFF facilities in Istanbul's Levent district. Hundreds, including many statesmen and sportsmen, attended the ceremony.

He was laid to rest at the Topkapi Cemetery after a funeral ceremony at Fatih Mosque.       Â

Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan were among the attendees in the funeral ceremony.

Dogan, 52, died on Saturday after suffering a heart attack while holidaying in the southwest of Turkey. He was having a meal with national coach Fatih Terim in the popular resort of Bodrum when he was hospitalized after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Dogan, a prominent businessman, had been the head of the federation since February this year and last month saw the national team make it to the semi-finals of the Euro 2008 championships for the first time ever. Â

Dogan leaves behind a wife and two children.   Â

BLATTER'S LETTER

International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) President Joseph S. Blatter has praised Hasan Dogan's contribution to football in letter after learning of his sudden death on Saturday, FIFA reported on its official website.

Blatter also said he believes that Dogan's legacy to the game of football will live on.

"We will remember his vast experience and know-how, his determination to develop the game as well as his unique personality. Being a thorough idealist Hasan Dogan managed to position not only Turkish club football but also the Turkish national team on an international level in only a few months at the helm of the TFF."

"We will retain fond memories of an accomplished leader and an extraordinary man whose great human qualities ensured that he left an indelible mark on the game of football, not only in helping to develop football in Turkey but also around the world," he wrote in the letter.

 

Photo: AA    Â