Slap on the wrist - Turkey keeps Grand Prix
Looks like Turkey got off easy. The FIA World Motor Sport Council ruled today that Istanbul will keep its race despite the political shenanigans the Turks played on the podium at this year's race.
At the Turkish Grand Prix last month, race winner Felipe Massa was given his trophy by Mehmet Ali Talat, who was introduced as the "President of the Northern Turkish Republic of Cyprus". The problem is, no one recognizes Turkey's occupation of the Mediterranean island except Turkey, and Turkish officials practically admitted to deceiving the FIA as to their intentions to stage the political spectacle.
Although at first the FIA fumed over the incident and declared that racing was not an arena for global politics, the council only gave the Turks a $5 million penalty instead of revoking their grand prix, touring car race or world rally stages. Considering that Turkey reportedly spent over $150 million to build the track, $5 million seems like a drop in the ocean to achieve their political objectives.
[Source: GrandPrix.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rwdmtparkingonly 10:35AM (9/19/2006)
If this acknowlegement of a non-existent government is allowed then next people will start waving Confederate flags at Nascar events.
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Kwyjibo 12:52PM (9/19/2006)
It is unfortunate that the Turks always get lucky in being able to get away with political shenanigans.
I say pull the race completely and let them eat the penalty of having spent $150 million on a facility they can't use.
So they basically paid $5 mil to get their political view aired to millions of people worldwide?? What company wouldn't pay that?
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Jason 5:43PM (9/19/2006)
"political objectives"
So what was that Political Objective, what did they achieve. The whole thing was stupid, so what if the guy is the president of Northern Cyprus.
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ozcaN 2:44PM (9/19/2006)
kwyjibo go read up on your history...
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Sinan 3:00PM (9/19/2006)
Well, everybody must now that there are two seperate and independent countries on this tiny island Greek part (which is falsely named as Cyprus Republic but it doesn't cover all the land) and Northern Cyprus Turkish Republic. Yes onlw handful of countries recognize Turkish part where Greek part has become full member of the EU.
Turkey has righs on the island as much as Greece does and it used them to save Turkish population being slaughtered by Greek nazis...That's when Turkish part separated from Greek side and new state founded.
This is a bit of history now but Greeks don't come close to any aggreement (for example the one suggested by UN and voted for in Turkish side but refused in the Greek side) that would solve the conflict for good.
Anyways, Turks might have wanted to get some publicity about this story and that's why President of Cyprus Turks went on the stage, but it's not such a big issue I think...
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Murat likes AutoBlog 5:20PM (9/19/2006)
The Turkish Gran Prix is the most exciting race circuit in whole Formula One Organization.I think FIA did the right thing.And the $ 5 million penalty,oh yes it is a drop in the ocean for achieving our political issues.
Turkey&Northern Cyprus Turkish Republic RULEZZZ
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Mike 5:20PM (9/19/2006)
5 million bucks is a total joke. I've lost all respect for the FIA a long time ago, and this is only one of many dumb-a$$ed decisions they have made over the years!
I doubt that the race organizer will have to pay this out of their own pockets. This tab will be picked up by the Northern Turkish Republic of Cyprus!
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ozcaN 5:27PM (9/19/2006)
the northern turkish replublic doesnt realy have money. anything there is paid by turkey. turkey protects them. they are just an addition of turkey
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Ata 6:47PM (9/19/2006)
Leave it to to the turks to politicize a sporting event. See, this is their only means of conveying their point.
Invade a country, slaughter its Christian inhabitants, and then try to validate it at what?....a sporting event. They can't get their way by diplomacy, so they stoop to tainting an otherwise enjoyable event.
You can't blame them, as they are the bastard stepchilds of the region; hated by both the Muslims and Christians that surround them. they're desperate.
I think "Turkey" has bigger problems on its hands...like the emerging Repulblic of Kurdistan (with it's vast oil reserves).
The icing on the cake is that they want to draft a resolution to "arrest" the Pope when he visits Constantinople...cute.
Someone look up what was the biggest summer '06 blockbuster movie was in Turkey...a movie vilifying everything American....
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Mike from Scarborough 7:55PM (9/19/2006)
#4 It's the Turks and Henri Kissinger that bolstered the Turkish residents on the Island back in 1974.They would of taken over the whole island had it not been for the Greek Cypriate side.Anyway Turkey is a short step from being a totalitarian dimocracy,their military still runs policy there,that's why they will never get into the EU.In the 60's they used to allow the US free air and naval ,in return they whould get great deals on weapons,wich they wanted to attack Greece with.Greece on the other hand is a neutral country and never let the US have fee rain in their ports.Anyway that was a pathetic stunt,they don't deserve an f1 race.
By the way last time the UN recognised a break away state it was Boznia.That stunt accelerated the civil war there.
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Greg A. 8:03PM (9/19/2006)
"Leave it to to the turks to politicize a sporting event."
Just wait 'til the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing.
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Greg A. 8:04PM (9/19/2006)
#3: "kwyjibo go read up on your history..."
I suppose you want him to read the same history books that deny the Turks committed genocide agains the Armenians early in the twentieth century (assuming any such history books have been translated into any language from Turkish).
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ozcaN 8:35PM (9/19/2006)
lmao u really dont know shit about the genocide do you? Turkey has called for open debates on multiple occasions. Turkey has told them to bring their best scholers while they brought thiers but armenians know thier full of shit. They declined on multiple occasions. They were even cought faking pictures to make them look better. Durring the time of the genocide the leading commander was armenain who was in charge of moving them. You really need to learn for yourself then to believe everythign u read on wikipedia. Turkeys libraries are open for research cause they know the truth.
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Eve 9:27AM (9/20/2006)
Turkey likes to deceive. Though with its disgusting human rights records i dont think it will deceive the world into joining the EU. Its a bully country. the 5 million penalty was just a 'slap on the wrist' but noone is gona to recognise a 'state' which had come about through an illegal occupation which resulted in over 200,000 people being made refugees, just because Turkey pulled a stunt like this.
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Ozer 5:08AM (9/21/2006)
Yes, not everyone likes the Turks. Those Arabic countries don't like us since we do not have a religious, sheriat government, we do not let the religion be 'above' the law. The ones on the west don't like us, either, because we do not report to a religious leader, pope, which sounds like a joke in 21st century.
You know what, I'm fine with that. I'm proud to be a Turk, to be citizen of one of the very few countries in the world, which is REALLY secular. One of the very few countries which could never be invaded by another (who's the bastard now?).
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