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dpa
Istanbul
Turkey on Monday condemned what it described as the “unacceptable treatment” of its national football team at Keflavik Airport in Iceland for a Euro 2020 qualification match.
Turkey has said the team was made to wait for three hours at passport control and the players were subjected to strict security checks with their belongings repeatedly searched, Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported.
Iceland’s Foreign Ministry said that the security checks had been in line with “required procedures,” citing Isavia, which runs Keflavik international airport, and international rules on security checks.
The Turkish flight had departed from an airport outside the EU/Schengen area that was “not recognized as a One Stop Security airport,” the Icelandic Foreign Ministry statement said.
“All passengers, irrespective of nationality, travelling from such airports to Keflavik Airport undergo security check on arrival.”
Icelandic authorities estimated that the security checks for the Turkish team and staff took 1 hour and 23 minutes.
A request from Turkey’s embassy in Norway for a “fast track security check” also arrived just “hours prior to the team’s arrival in Keflavik.
In any case, such privilege is usually only accorded to senior government officials.”
Isavia, which runs the Keflavik international airport and other airports in Iceland, earlier said that the security search took time since staff had to search for both liquids and electronic devices since requests to remove such items had not been followed in some cases.
Vidir Reynisson, head of security for the Icelandic Football Assocation, said the Turkish players exaggerated the time spent in security checks and passport control.
“I’ve spoken to the Turkish Football Federation and they informed me that they were in the hotel in Reykjavik two hours after their arrival in Keflavik,” Reynisson told visir.is.
The Turkish team travelled to Iceland after a shock victory on Saturday over world champions France in the Euro 2020 qualification in the central Anatolian city of Konya.
They arrived late on Sunday – after a six-hour private flight from Konya – for their Group H match against Iceland to be played on Tuesday in Reykjavik, the Turkish Football Federation said.
An unidentified person also held a cleaning brush, instead of a microphone, at team captain Emre Belozoglu as he was walking through the airport surrounded by reporters and photographers, broadcast footage showed.
Belozoglu said he didn’t want to comment, but told Anadolu that “yes, unfortunately, since we landed, unnecessary searches were made.”
“The treatment that Turkey’s national football team was subjected to in Iceland is unacceptable in terms of diplomatic and humanitarian practices,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted Monday.
“No one should doubt that we will do what is necessary,” he said.
The Icelandic Foreign Ministry said it has “responded to the views put forward by Turkish authorities.”
Several Icelandic sports journalists said they were bombarded with tweets from Turkey, where they were accused of showing lack of respect for the Turkish national team and Turkey. They said the man who brandished the brush was probably a tourist.
“Dear Turkish fans! I was NOT at the airport in Iceland today and I would NEVER pretend to make an interview with a brush. I don’t know who the guy with the brush is, he is a tourist,” wrote Magnus Mar Einarsson, editor of fotbolti.net.
“I have so much respect for your great team and also for Emre (Belozoglu) who has had a great career,” he added.
“The idiot with the brush is NOT me. I have nothing but respect for your players and your great nation,” wrote Benedikt Gretarson, another sports journalist.
Istanbul
Turkey on Monday condemned what it described as the “unacceptable treatment” of its national football team at Keflavik Airport in Iceland for a Euro 2020 qualification match.
Turkey has said the team was made to wait for three hours at passport control and the players were subjected to strict security checks with their belongings repeatedly searched, Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported.
Iceland’s Foreign Ministry said that the security checks had been in line with “required procedures,” citing Isavia, which runs Keflavik international airport, and international rules on security checks.
The Turkish flight had departed from an airport outside the EU/Schengen area that was “not recognized as a One Stop Security airport,” the Icelandic Foreign Ministry statement said.
“All passengers, irrespective of nationality, travelling from such airports to Keflavik Airport undergo security check on arrival.”
Icelandic authorities estimated that the security checks for the Turkish team and staff took 1 hour and 23 minutes.
A request from Turkey’s embassy in Norway for a “fast track security check” also arrived just “hours prior to the team’s arrival in Keflavik.
In any case, such privilege is usually only accorded to senior government officials.”
Isavia, which runs the Keflavik international airport and other airports in Iceland, earlier said that the security search took time since staff had to search for both liquids and electronic devices since requests to remove such items had not been followed in some cases.
Vidir Reynisson, head of security for the Icelandic Football Assocation, said the Turkish players exaggerated the time spent in security checks and passport control.
“I’ve spoken to the Turkish Football Federation and they informed me that they were in the hotel in Reykjavik two hours after their arrival in Keflavik,” Reynisson told visir.is.
The Turkish team travelled to Iceland after a shock victory on Saturday over world champions France in the Euro 2020 qualification in the central Anatolian city of Konya.
They arrived late on Sunday – after a six-hour private flight from Konya – for their Group H match against Iceland to be played on Tuesday in Reykjavik, the Turkish Football Federation said.
An unidentified person also held a cleaning brush, instead of a microphone, at team captain Emre Belozoglu as he was walking through the airport surrounded by reporters and photographers, broadcast footage showed.
Belozoglu said he didn’t want to comment, but told Anadolu that “yes, unfortunately, since we landed, unnecessary searches were made.”
“The treatment that Turkey’s national football team was subjected to in Iceland is unacceptable in terms of diplomatic and humanitarian practices,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted Monday.
“No one should doubt that we will do what is necessary,” he said.
The Icelandic Foreign Ministry said it has “responded to the views put forward by Turkish authorities.”
Several Icelandic sports journalists said they were bombarded with tweets from Turkey, where they were accused of showing lack of respect for the Turkish national team and Turkey. They said the man who brandished the brush was probably a tourist.
“Dear Turkish fans! I was NOT at the airport in Iceland today and I would NEVER pretend to make an interview with a brush. I don’t know who the guy with the brush is, he is a tourist,” wrote Magnus Mar Einarsson, editor of fotbolti.net.
“I have so much respect for your great team and also for Emre (Belozoglu) who has had a great career,” he added.
“The idiot with the brush is NOT me. I have nothing but respect for your players and your great nation,” wrote Benedikt Gretarson, another sports journalist.
