Turkish Cypriots move on to end isolation in football

Aiming to end 60 years of sporting isolation, Turkish Cypriots in the breakaway north applied March 30 to join the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) of the Greek side of the divided island.

The Greek Cypriot-run CFA announced on its website that it has received a letter from the Cyprus Turkish Football Association (CTFA) on its decision to go ahead with all the "necessary actions" to become a member.

A copy of the letter was also sent to football's world governing body FIFA and European body UEFA, Agence France-Presse reported on March 30.

The first step in the process is for the CTFA to harmonize its constitution with the CFA's which will take about 40 days, said the CFA.

"Then the Turkish Cypriots will be able to proceed with the next step, submitting an application to join the CFA," it said in a statement. The move follows a landmark deal brokered by FIFA between the two sides on November 5, 2013 in Switzerland, in what FIFA hailed at the time as a "major milestone" in the history of football in Cyprus. However, deal's implementation could take several years to come into effect.

CTFA boss Hasan Serto?lu held a press conference yesterday to confirm he had sent the request, despite having been accused of "selling out" Turkish Cypriot autonomy. He said he was determined to go through with the union for the future of sport and football in the north.

"A new era is beginning in the history of Turkish Cypriot football. I believe we are doing the right thing," he said.

Move irks deputy PM

The move has angered Serdar Denkta?, the Turkish Cypriot deputy prime minister, who pledged  yesterday to cut ties with the CTFA.  "With the federation's statement, it is understood that efforts our state is...