Turkish Prime Minister hints at Euro 2020 bid

By Andrew Warshaw in Istanbul

March 22 – The Turkish Government today gave the broadest public hint yet that the country would like to stage the European Championships in 2020.

Turkey lost out controversially by one vote to France for the 2016 tournament, widely believed to have been the result of UEFA President Michel Platini lobbying support for his homeland.

Since then there has been intense speculation as to whether Turkey would re-apply, given the fact that Istanbul is planning to bid for the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in the same year.

In a speech to the UEFA Congress in Istanbul today, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (pictured) confirmed in one brief sentence that his country were interested in balloting once again for the Euros.

“I would like to repeat the request to hold the European Championships 2020 in Istanbul,” he told delegates at the end of a 10-minute address, speaking in Turkish with simultaneous translation.

Reports have frequently appeared in the Turkish press claiming that Platini has privately promised the country the Championships after they controversially lost out in May 2010.

But in recent months, Erdoğan and others have reiterated that bidding for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in Istanbul was the priority following unsuccessful bids for the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Games.

There have even been suggestions that the Government is blocking the Turkish Football Federation’s (TFF) wish to stage the Euros, which are being expanded to 24 teams in 2016, meaning only a handful of countries would have the infrastructure to stage the event on their own.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will choose the 2020 host city in September next year and the TFF has said in the past that it will consider bidding for the Euros the same year only when it is known whether Istanbul makes the shortlist for the Games.

The situation is complicated by the fact that, with invitations going out to prospective Euro hosts next week, Turkey can’t realistically wait too long before deciding whether to go ahead.

But Erdoğan, who met Platini (pictured left) for private talks earlier this week on Turkey’s match fixing crisis, took the opportunity to tell UEFA’s 53 members that his country was in the process of beefing up its stadium construction.

“Turkey is in love with football,” he told the audience here at the Istanbul Congress Centre.

“Although we started late, we have a large football industry and modern facilities all around the country.

“We are building 18 new stadiums and 352 artificial and natural facilities.

“We are also solving our shortcomings in infrastructure with train connections, airports and other facilities.”

Erdoğan’s remarks were highly significant in terms of their timing.

Next week, UEFA will open the bidding process for Euro 2020 with a decision on the hosts to be taken at the end of 2013 or early 2014.

He didn’t shy away from commenting on Turkey’s match fixing scandal, saying only the criminals themselves should be penalised rather than entire clubs.

This season, UEFA kicked Fenerbahçe, whose President Aziz Yıldırım is one of those charged, out of the Champions League.

“If we take this course of action, it will encourage sympathy for fans,” Erdoğan said.

Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734788796labto1734788796ofdlr1734788796owedi1734788796sni@w1734788796ahsra1734788796w.wer1734788796dna1734788796