**Turkish Cypriot Football Club Cetinkaya Aims for Return to CFA**
Nicosia, Cyprus – Cetinkaya, a prominent Turkish Cypriot football club, has expressed its intention to rejoin the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) as it commemorates the 92nd anniversary of the CFA's founding. This announcement comes amid a summer marked by heightened tensions between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities, particularly concerning football-related issues.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Cetinkaya reflected on its historical significance, noting that it was one of the founding members of the CFA in 1934. "Ninety-two years of history, 92 years of memories, and a history which cannot be erased," the club stated. It emphasized the pride it feels for its contributions to the CFA while also expressing sorrow over the exclusion it faced in 1955, when the Greek Orthodox Church prohibited Turkish Cypriots from playing on its football grounds. This decision effectively barred Turkish Cypriots from participating in CFA competitions.
The club articulated the emotional weight of this exclusion, stating, "There is pride in the history we helped build, but also a deep and lasting sense of sorrow over what was taken away from us." It described the pain of watching something they helped create be taken beyond their reach, underscoring their integral role in the history of football on the island.
Accompanying the statement was an image with the words "we will be back where we belong," along with a list of the club's accolades prior to 1955, including the first division title in 1951 and the Cyprus Cups in 1952 and 1954. Cetinkaya has since participated in competitions organized by the Cyprus Turkish Football Association (CTFA), which was established following their expulsion from the CFA.
The summer of 2023 has seen football become a focal point for intercommunal tensions. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman criticized the Greek Cypriot side for its efforts to cancel a children's football camp organized by FC Barcelona, suggesting that such actions undermine trust between the two communities. In response, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis defended the Greek Cypriot position, stating that their actions are in line with the responsibilities of an internationally recognized state.
Letymbiotis referred to a 2013 agreement that aimed to facilitate the integration of the CTFA into the CFA, allowing for international recognition of Turkish Cypriot football. This agreement was signed in Zurich by the chairmen of both associations, Costas Koutsokoumnis and Hasan Sertoglu, in the presence of FIFA and UEFA officials. However, the agreement has yet to be implemented due to procedural disagreements, primarily concerning the registration of the CTFA within the Republic of Cyprus.
The CFA's insistence on this registration has been met with resistance from the CTFA, which argues that its existence predates the Republic of Cyprus and should therefore be recognized without additional documentation. As a result, the CTFA has continued to operate independently, running its own competitions and fielding its own representative team. This summer, the CTFA team achieved success by winning the Conifa European Football Championship, a tournament for unrecognized countries and minority groups in Europe.
Cetinkaya's aspirations to return to the CFA reflect a broader desire among Turkish Cypriots for recognition and inclusion within the island's footballing framework. The club's historical significance and its ongoing commitment to the sport underscore the complexities of intercommunal relations in Cyprus, particularly as they relate to football, which has long been a source of both unity and division.
As Cetinkaya looks to the future, it remains to be seen how its efforts to rejoin the CFA will unfold amid the ongoing political and social challenges that characterize the relationship between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities. The club's determination to reclaim its place in the CFA is a testament to its enduring legacy and the hope for a more inclusive future in Cypriot football.