Solution through bi-communal sports

CY

If we have learnt anything from the World Cup, surely it shows us that it unites nations in a healthy competitive way. (apart from when it gets violent of course...)

I think Cyprus should learn from this and take measure to introduce bi-communal football, basketball teams etc.... I know that there would be friction e.g. say if a Turkish Cypriot wasn't a good player then maybe some Greek Cypriot fans could turn violent and vice versa but I think people could slowly overcome this (unless something big happens Rolling Eyes

)

Anyway, point is that I think if cypriots become united over sport I think that it would actually influence politics. (Anyway, considering Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus won the world cup for internationally unrecognised states, I think the whole country could benefit Wink

). What do Greek Cypriots/Turkish Cypriots.....Cypriots.....have to lose?!

Dream_Merchant · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 9:57 am Post subject:

Holland vs Portugal

city · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:51 pm Post subject:

Dream_Merchant what does this game has to do with what CY suggests?
It was a violent game but had nothing to do with the nations itself or their feelings towards each other.

CY, I think that would be a very good idea, but I foresee problems as you mentioned. However, if one doesn't try one will never find out.
I generally think that much more contact between the two communities is needed in order to minimize existing fears, misunderstandings etc.
Sport usually is a good means to achieve that as a team needs to stand united against an opponent in competition if they want to win.

There were examples for this in the World Cup as well. I don't remember which team it was but it consisted of Christians and Muslims who even prayed together before the game started. (Serbia Montenegro, Ivory Coast??)

Dream_Merchant · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 2:45 pm Post subject:

I was just joking that sport can get very heated sometimes.. I didn't imply anything else.

Sport events are always good, as long as they dont become a beacon for ultranational polarisation. Unfortunately though, in my opinion, the current political standoff does not facilitate for this at a national level. Maybe on a club based level, but I doubt that as well.

Khan · Deputy Joined: 13 Nov 2005 Posts: 1092 Location: London

It would be good if they had an international football team with both communities, but politics dictates that they would play under the "Republic of Cyprus" tag, which for me would get no support. If they played under the name 'Unified Cyprus' or something, then i would actually support them.

thebrix · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 3:24 pm Post subject:

CY · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 9:43 pm Post subject:

As always, i think things like these should start in schools and work up.
There should be programmes that do these type of things! Do they exist---I'm sure they do but I don;'t think they are very effective...noone gives time to things like these!! But why?!

Dhavlos · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 1:03 am Post subject:

maybe joint sports days at schools from north and south schools could kick start such a move?

plus, playing under the banner of just 'cyprus' surely would be ok, for internationals (like Korea does in the olympics)

Dream_Merchant · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 11:32 am Post subject:

Hopeless no, difficult to realise, yes.

The games themselves, due to legal grounds on the non-recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, would be extremely impossible to organise on cypriot soil. ( One place it could possibly happen would be on the green line.. HAHAHA.. with half of the field on either side of the cease fire line ok the second part is just me saying silly things).

The T/C clubs ( do they exist - sorry for the ignorance but I assume they do.. if there is something we have in common its our passion for football ) do not belong to any 'legal' football federation and unless they 'feel' like registering themselves in the CyFF I don't see it happening on a club level either. They would still have to play on 'neutral' ground though as it would be antithetical to the current political stance of the Republic of Cyprus, to allow teams to play on occupied territory.

After saying all that I feel like throwing up.. someone hand me a bucket.. its f***ing football for christs sake.

EDIT: I just thought of something. As the UK has several football federations, a separate T/C football federation could be set up in the Republic of Cyprus, hence bypassing the need to recognise the TRNCy.. but the T/C side had to accept that.

city · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 11:43 am Post subject:

CY · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 12:33 pm Post subject:

Khan · Deputy Joined: 13 Nov 2005 Posts: 1092 Location: London

CY · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:37 pm Post subject:

a new flag unique to "cypriot sports" just a completely new design, with no link whatsoever with any current flags. It would only represent the country at international sports levels.

pg · Deputy Joined: 17 Jan 2006 Posts: 1485 Location: Cyprus

The problem is that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus attempts to have its own international identity. If the Turkish Cypriot community. waiting for a comprehensive solution, instead were to re-focus as an autonomous area within the Republic of Cyprus (which has a government it does not recognize) these things would be simpler...

In short, one can argue the political issue, the constitutional issue, etc, etc, but still be part of the Cyprus Football Federation.

erolz · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 9:15 pm Post subject: