Iceland admits Turkey notified over airport incident

By Tugcenur Yilmaz

ANKARA (AA) - Iceland said that Turkey had an official request for a fast track security check at the airport for the Turkish football players, who were kept by the airport police and waited for hours.

Iceland’s Foreign Ministry said that the Turkish embassy sent a request for a fast track check at the airport three weeks before the arrival, according to the RUV news agency report on June 23.

On June 9, Turkish national football team arrived at Keflavik International Airport for a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying match and airport police kept them waiting for three hours at passport control and subjected their personal belongings to an invasive search.

The incident was promptly condemned by Turkey’s presidential office and aides as well as the foreign minister and party leaders.

Following the Turkish rejection of treatment of the Turkish national football team, the Iceland’s Foreign Ministry claimed that Turkish authorities notified Iceland "only hours prior” to the team’s arrival in the country.

However, Turkey sent request for football players through diplomatic channels on May 16.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar