Turkey slams Iceland's treatment of footballers

By Meltem Bulur, Mehmet Tosun and Hilmi Sever

ANKARA/KEFLAVIK, Iceland (AA) - Turkish authorities on Monday condemned “unacceptable” treatment of Turkey’s national football team at Iceland’s airport.

"Disrespectfulness towards our national team in Iceland is unacceptable and what is necessary will be done,” presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin wrote in a Twitter post.

Turkey’s national team arrived at Keflavik Airport in Iceland late Sunday for UEFA EURO 2020 qualifications Group H match to be played on Tuesday.

According to the footballers, Icelandic authorities made the national team wait for around three hours during the passport check and rigorously searched personal belongings of the footballers.

“Our state and people side with our national team. The best response will be given by our national team at the field,” Kalin said.

Turkish foreign minister also termed the treatment at the Iceland airport “unacceptable.”

“The treatment towards our national team at the Iceland airport is not acceptable in terms of both diplomatic and humanitarian practices,” Mevlut Cavusoglu wrote in a Twitter post.

“Our nation should not doubt that we will do what is necessary,” Cavusoglu added.

Ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Spokesman Omer Celik also blasted the “disrespectful” treatment of the footballers.

“We condemn Icelandic authorities in the strongest way possible. All necessary response will clearly be given to this disrespectfulness, which did not suit to the spirit of sports,” Celik said.

Terming the behavior as a kind of “violence”, Celik held Icelandic authorities responsible for the treatment.

“Icelandic authorities should apologize for this “primitive” practice and should take steps, which will repair this mistake,” he added.

Footballers also slammed the recent practices.

Burak Yilmaz, one of the footballers, said: “What they’ve done are disrespectful and rude. We’ve been waiting there for 3 hours. They’ve taken bags of everyone.”

“They will explain what is necessary,” Captain Emre Belozoglu said. “Unfortunately, yes, overmuch search has been made inside since we’ve landed.”

While speaking to media, a man held a toilet brush to Belozoglu in order to provoke him before the match.

The national team, after a long wait, went to the hotel in Icelandic city of Reykjavik by bus.

Team Manager Senol Gunes is expected to hold a news conference ahead of the training to be held at Laugardalsvollur stadium later on Monday.

*Writing by Nilay Kar Onum