The cup excitement is about to begin…The press conference for the International Dr. Suat Günsel Tournament has been realized

A press conference regarding the International Dr. Suat Günsel Tournament, which is to be realized on 14-17 September 2017 and to which elite teams from Turkey and Europe will be competing in, has been realized.

According to the press release issued by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations of Near East University, the press release was realized in NEU RA25 Sports Hall and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Near East University Assoc. Prof Dr. Irfan S. Günsel; Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of Near East University Assoc. Prof Dr. Murat Tüzünkan; Member of Managing Board of Elexus Hotel Baturalp Bozkurt; Head of Near East University Health, Culture and Sports Office Assist. Prof. Dr. Hakan Atamtürk; Head of Cyprus Turkish Basketball Federation Ertuğ Nasıroğlu; and Deputy General Coordinator of Near East University Basketball Team Erhan Ayaz were present at the press conference.

This will be a milestone for the Cyprus Turkish Sports History…

Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of Near East University Assoc. Prof Dr. Murat Tüzünkan made the opening speech of the press conference and said that this will be first time when Turkish basketball teams will play games with esteemed teams from Europe. He added that they were very pleased with the arrangements made and reminded that Castros Barine from Belgium; CB Avenida from Spain; ZVZ USK Prague from the Czechoslovakia Republic; Near East University from Northern Cyprus and Galatasaray and Hatay BŞB from Turkey will be competing in the tournament.

Murat Tüzünkan further emphasized that this event will be a milestone in the Cyprus Turkish sports history. And added his belief that the fact that such esteemed basketball teams were coming to our island would draw much attention of the public; thus promoting our country to the world.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Günsel: “Hosting the tournament games on the island will be a stepping stone for our country…”

Also making a statement regarding the matter, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Near East University Assoc. Prof Dr. Irfan S. Günsel the Near East University Women’s Basketball Team was in its fourth year and that they were very excited to host an international tournament in their fourth year.

Assoc. Prof Dr. Irfan S. Günsel further added that they had been struggling and making efforts to get the games to be played in our country and therefore he believed this will be a stepping stone for the country. Moreover, he pointed out that getting the most esteemed basketball teams to play games in Northern Cyprus could be perceived as an indication that we are making progress in these terms. He emphasized that basketball authorities had already began to address the International Dr. Suat Günsel Tournament as a “mini Euro League”!

Making this tournament a traditional event is being considered…

Assoc. Prof Dr. Irfan S. Günsel stated that they were considering making this tournament a traditional event and holding the tournament again, next year, with addition of new basketball teams to the event. He ended his remarks by stating how excited they were to host such an event.

The preclusion efforts of the officials in southern Cyprus were overcome…

Due to a question asked at the press conference Assoc. Prof Dr. Irfan S. Günsel stated that they overcame the preclusion efforts of the officials in southern Cyprus and added that Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Southern Cyprus and embassies and Cyprus (Greek) Basketball Federation had sent letters to European teams to participate in the tournament that they would be entering “occupied territory”.

Assoc. Prof Dr. Irfan S. Günsel explained that they had to inform the teams to come from Europe that Northern Cyprus was not “occupied territory” and that there were students from 120 different countries undertaking their higher education here; and in fact Deep Purple had given a concert here. Furthermore, they informed the teams that Near East University was a member of Union of European Universities, Union of World Universities, the Confederation of Islam Universities and Unions of World Medicine. Günsel explained that they had assured the basketball teams that northern Cyprus was a safe and free country.

Assoc. Prof Dr. Irfan S. Günsel stated that there could always be last minute incidents but they had belief that misleading theses (stating that northern Cyprus is isolated from the world) was changing over time; especially since they, as the EuroCup and Turkey Basketball Champion, made the invitation to the teams in Europe.