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FIFA FAIR PLAY AWARD FOR ARMENIA, TURKEY
armradio.am
13.01.2009 11:49
The FIFA Fair Play Award for 2008 has gone to the Football Associations
of Armenia and Turkey for their part in encouraging dialogue between
two countries which otherwise do not have any form of diplomatic
relationship, FIFA official website informs.
On 6 September 2008, the President of Turkey, Abdula Gul, spent
eight hours in Yerevan, on the invitation of Armenian President
Serzh Sargsian, in order to attend the two countries' encounter in
a qualifier for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africaâ~D¢.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country was holding the
EU Presidency at the time, dubbed the meeting a "historic and brave
initiative". The visit was also heartily applauded by the international
press, while 70 per cent of the Turkish public expressed their approval
in opinion polls.
As for the match itself, 10,000 fans were in the stands to witness
this historic encounter first-hand. Visitors from Turkey came through
to win the game 2-0, but more importantly the match passed by without
crowd trouble.
The Turkish President announced that he did not wish the dispute
between the two nations to be part of his legacy for future
generations. President Gul also invited his Armenian counterpart to
attend the FIFA World Cup qualifying match between the two sides in
Istanbul on 14 October 2009.
The award was presented by UEFA=2 0President and FIFA Executive
Committee member Michel Platini and his fellow FIFA Executive Committee
member Senes Erzik.
--Boundary_(ID_6CUctGl2gOAfWMvoaxUjgw)--
armradio.am
13.01.2009 11:49
The FIFA Fair Play Award for 2008 has gone to the Football Associations
of Armenia and Turkey for their part in encouraging dialogue between
two countries which otherwise do not have any form of diplomatic
relationship, FIFA official website informs.
On 6 September 2008, the President of Turkey, Abdula Gul, spent
eight hours in Yerevan, on the invitation of Armenian President
Serzh Sargsian, in order to attend the two countries' encounter in
a qualifier for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africaâ~D¢.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country was holding the
EU Presidency at the time, dubbed the meeting a "historic and brave
initiative". The visit was also heartily applauded by the international
press, while 70 per cent of the Turkish public expressed their approval
in opinion polls.
As for the match itself, 10,000 fans were in the stands to witness
this historic encounter first-hand. Visitors from Turkey came through
to win the game 2-0, but more importantly the match passed by without
crowd trouble.
The Turkish President announced that he did not wish the dispute
between the two nations to be part of his legacy for future
generations. President Gul also invited his Armenian counterpart to
attend the FIFA World Cup qualifying match between the two sides in
Istanbul on 14 October 2009.
The award was presented by UEFA=2 0President and FIFA Executive
Committee member Michel Platini and his fellow FIFA Executive Committee
member Senes Erzik.
--Boundary_(ID_6CUctGl2gOAfWMvoaxUjgw)--