Scandal of 2012 London Olympics

Last week, media attention focused sharply on the controversial staging of the F1 Championships in Bahrain, despite continued protests over human rights abuses. Sports and politics inevitably entangle and this week Fevzi Hussein, Cyprus Star columnist and human rights activist, looks much closer to home at the 'Scandal of the London 2012 Olympics? '

As we draw ever nearer to the 2012 London Olympics, the buzz of anticipation for people living in the United Kingdom and particularly for most Londoners is heightening every day. I say most, as for one fairly prominent ethnic group in London the 2012 London Olympics will be looked upon with sadness and anger.

As we go to press with this piece, Turkish Cypriots are holding their breath waiting to see whether an application made to the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) by their own National Olympic Committee will allow their sportsmen and women to participate in London 2012 under the neutral Olympic flag.

Why the neutral Olympic flag you may ask?

Well, not many people know the plight of Turkish Cypriots. Since 1963 when the original Cyprus constitution became annulled, Turkish Cypriots have effectively been 'embargoed', cut off from the rest of the world. Only Turkey recognises North Cyprus.

This isolation is judged by many to be grossly unfair, however few people in decision-making roles seem willing to stick their neck out to say this. Turkish Cypriots are angry that despite taking a great leap of faith in 2004, with the United Nations backed unification referendum, the rejection of the unification referendum by the Greek Cypriots has meant that they are still left in political limbo.

The consequences of this political limbo are many, but in terms of sport, it means that our sportsmen and women are currently barred from most competitive sports. There are of course a few exceptions to the rule, such as the Girne Taekwondo team. Somehow they have managed to buck the trend and after repeated lobbying efforts Girne Taekwondo have succeeded in affiliating with the Global Taekwondo Federation (GTF). The results have been fantastic with several gold and silver medals won at the recent European and World Taekwondo Championships.

Despite this clear example of the benefits of inclusion, many sporting bodies such as the IOC and FIFA, which openly promote inclusion for everyone and denounce political discrimination, seem to conveniently ignore their own rules when it comes to the sporting rights of Turkish Cypriots.

The recent football Champions League clearly illustrates the injustice. Whilst I was pleased to see Apoel Nicosia progress to the Champions League quarter finals for the first time, imagine how depressing it must be for Turkish Cypriot footballers who are based just a few miles over the divide? Apoel's Turkish Cypriot equivalent is Cetinkaya SK, who have just won the Turkish Cypriot league. Yet for Cetinkaya's footballers there is no prospect of a Champions League qualifier, or even Europa football to look forward to. In fact they cannot even play a friendly football match as the Greek Cypriot FA complain to UEFA which can result in UEFA threatening the domestic football association of that club asking them not to engage with our teams. Surely, someone reading this will feel the outrage Turkish Cypriots feel - maybe someone very rich and influential who will want to help break the status quo? Turkish Cypriots don't do politics too well. All they want is a level playing field with their Greek Cypriot brothers and sisters. Is this too much to ask?

Getting back to the 2012 London Olympics, it will be remiss of me not to mention that my research has uncovered the fact that there will actually be three Turkish Cypriots participating in London 2012. Before you get too excited though, these people have been cherry picked by both Turkey and the (Greek Cypriot controlled) Republic of Cyprus, similar to what Great Britain did with Zola Budd and many other athletes to enhance their medal prospects by any means possible. In my book that is not right and it certainly does not help Turkish Cypriots in their fight to break free from the unfair embargoes which encapsulate sport too.

The human rights group Embargoed! have recently teamed up with the Turkish Cypriot NGO Sports Writers Federation to help to highlight this injustice. The word on the street is that Turkish Cypriots will be itching to roar on their own people, not under the flag of any other country other than the Olympic flag for now. If the IOC turns down this request Lord Coe and the London Mayor could be in for a rude awakening as there will be tens of thousands of Turkish Cypriots in London waiting to make their voices heard!

A full version of this article is available on the Cyprus Star. For more information on Embargoed! and to get involved or donate to the campaign visit http://www.embargoed.org.

Written by Fevzi Hussein, former Chair of Embargoed!, Founder of Drivetime Radio on London Turkish Radio, Columnist for Cyprus Star and Life-long Trade Unionist