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Agence France Presse
September 7, 2013 Saturday 12:04 PM GMT
Olympics: Make history, Turkish press tells IOC
ISTANBUL, Sept 07 2013
Turkish newspapers on Saturday called on the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) to accord the 2020 Summer Olympics to Istanbul saying
it would be an historic first.
"Stay true to the spirit of the Olympics - give 2020 to Istanbul,"
headlined the Haber Turk paper on its front page.
"We are ready to put on a magical show, which would straddle two
continents and for the first time be in a Muslim country," it added.
The IOC vote Saturday on who will stage the 2020 Games pits Istanbul
against Madrid and Tokyo with the outcome being seen as too close to
call after a tough two-year long campaign.
Istanbul was favoured early in the contest, but the Turkish city was
hit by social unrest that rocked the government in June.
Still, the Vatan newspaper sounded confident as it headlined: "It is
not for Madrid nor for Tokyo, it's Istanbul that is best for the
Olympic Games," while Radikal said that it was "the most important day
in the history of Turkish sports."
There was backing for the Istanbul bid from top footballer Didier
Drogba, who is currently playing for Istanbul side Galatasaray.
"Istanbul is the civilization bridge between past and present," the
Ivory Coast striker wrote on his Instagram account. "The Olympics will
fit perfectly to Istanbul, You know who to vote for!!!!"
There were fears though that the Istanbul bid could be hit Saturday by
a possible protest outside the Buenos Aires hotel where IOC members
are staying by Armenians living in Argentina, the CNN-Turk television
channel said.
Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were systematically
killed between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of
modern Turkey, was falling apart.
From: A. Papazian
September 7, 2013 Saturday 12:04 PM GMT
Olympics: Make history, Turkish press tells IOC
ISTANBUL, Sept 07 2013
Turkish newspapers on Saturday called on the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) to accord the 2020 Summer Olympics to Istanbul saying
it would be an historic first.
"Stay true to the spirit of the Olympics - give 2020 to Istanbul,"
headlined the Haber Turk paper on its front page.
"We are ready to put on a magical show, which would straddle two
continents and for the first time be in a Muslim country," it added.
The IOC vote Saturday on who will stage the 2020 Games pits Istanbul
against Madrid and Tokyo with the outcome being seen as too close to
call after a tough two-year long campaign.
Istanbul was favoured early in the contest, but the Turkish city was
hit by social unrest that rocked the government in June.
Still, the Vatan newspaper sounded confident as it headlined: "It is
not for Madrid nor for Tokyo, it's Istanbul that is best for the
Olympic Games," while Radikal said that it was "the most important day
in the history of Turkish sports."
There was backing for the Istanbul bid from top footballer Didier
Drogba, who is currently playing for Istanbul side Galatasaray.
"Istanbul is the civilization bridge between past and present," the
Ivory Coast striker wrote on his Instagram account. "The Olympics will
fit perfectly to Istanbul, You know who to vote for!!!!"
There were fears though that the Istanbul bid could be hit Saturday by
a possible protest outside the Buenos Aires hotel where IOC members
are staying by Armenians living in Argentina, the CNN-Turk television
channel said.
Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were systematically
killed between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of
modern Turkey, was falling apart.
From: A. Papazian