Sport in Northern Cyprus

Due to the lack of international recognition, Northern Cyprus is not a member of some international sporting bodies.

There are 29 sports federations in Northern Cyprus and 13,838 people registered in them as of 2008. Taekwondo-karate-aikido-kurash is the most popular sport with 6054 athletes. It is followed by association football (2240 athletes), shooting (1150 athletes) and hunting (1017 athletes).^[1]

Some Northern Cyprus sport clubs participate in Turkey's sport leagues. For example: the Fast Break Sport Club, in Turkey's Men's Basketball Regional League; the Beşparmak Sport Club, in Turkey's Handball Premier League; and the Lefka European University, in Turkey's Table-tennis Super League. The record for swimming 75 km between Turkey and Northern Cyprus belongs to Turkish national Alper Sunaçoğlu (completed in 26 hours and 15 minutes).^[2]

International participation and achievements

Badminton

• Badminton Federation of North Cyprus is an observer member of World Badminton Federation and European Badminton Confederation.

Basketball

• In May 2015, the friendly matches resulted as Northern Cyprus 59-76 Abkhasia;^[3] and Northern Cyprus 59-47 Abkhasia^[4] both played in Northern Cyprus.

Billiards

• Billiards Federation of North Cyprus (BFNC) is a member of the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF).^[5] The national teams of Cyprus and Northern Cyprus played each other in an international sport tournament for the first time in the 2010 European billiards championships in Kielce, Poland.^[6][7]The country, North Cyprus, is also a member of World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) and Union Mondial de Billard.^[8]
• 2014 Dynamic Billard European Championships (with 32 participating countries) was hosted by Northern Cyprus.^[9]

Bocce

• Bocce Federation of North Cyprus is a member of the International Bocce Association.

Bodybuilding

• Bodybuilding and Fitness: 2010: Yakup Çavuşgil became World Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (WBFF) champion in the championship in Canada.

Cycle

• North Cyprus Bike Lovers Association is a member of European Cyclists' Federation.^[10]

Darts

• The team of Northern Cyprus Darts Federation became third in darts championship in Spain.^[11]

EasyKart

• EasyKart Federation of North Cyprus is a member of the International EasyKart Federation.^[12] 2008: Zeka Özteknik became International Easykart champion in 125cc.^[13]

Football

• In 1975, FIFA general-secretary Helmut Kaser granted permission for Cyprus Turkish Football Federation to play friendly internationals against FIFA countries, but not competitive games; this permission was ablolished in 1983 when Northern Cyprus was declared.^[14][15]
• The Turkish Cypriot Football Federation administers a football league in Northern Cyprus.
• Northern Cyprus is among the countries listed by the FIFA Working Committee on Small Nations.^[16][17]
• Northern Cyprus is a member of Confederation of Independent Football Associations (ConIFA).^[18]
• In September 2014, Demetris Vasiliou became the first Greek Cypriot football player to sign for a team in the Northern Cypriot league. He plays for Değirmenlik (team of Kythrea).^[19][20] Greek Cypriot nationalists labelled him a "traitor" and surrounded his home, preventing him from attending his first match with the team.^[21][22] Vasiliou said he received death threats. He also lost his job as youth coach of Omonia Aradippou.^[23]
• Northern Cyprus is ranked 105th on the World Football Elo Ratings.^[24]

FootballTennis

• FootballTennis Association of North Cyprus is a member of the Federation International FootballTennis Association.^[25] Northern Cyprus placed 6th in the 9th World Footballtennis Championship^[26]
• The 2011 European FootballTennis Championship was hosted by Northern Cyprus.^[27]
• The 2014 World FootballTennis Championship was hosted by Northern Cyprus in 19-24 October.^[28]

Golf

Northern Cyprus has golf fields with highest standards.^[29]

Gymnastic

• Turkish Cypriot Gymnastic Federation administers the related activities in the country.

Model Plane

• Model Plane: North Cyprus participates F3J Eurotour league.^[30] Eser Kismir became champion in Interglide F3J 2011.^[31]

Handball

• Handball Federation of Northern Cyprus administers a league in the country.

Paragliding

• Oldest female paraglider record belongs to Peggy McAlpine from Northern Cyprus. She took to the sky at the age of 104 from a 2,400ft peak.^[32]

Shooting

• Shooting: TRNC Shooting Federation participated in Airgun Championships 2011 in Bisley, UK and the team became 2nd.^[33]

Taekwon-do, Judo, Hapkido, Kickboxing, Budo Martialarts

• Federation of North Cyprus is a member of Global Taekwon-do Federation (GTF).^[34][35]
• The 9th GTF World Championship in 2013 was hosted by North Cyprus.^[36]
• The headquarters of "Eurasia Taekwondo Federations Union" is in Kyrenia of Northern Cyprus.^[37][38]
• Judo, Hapkido and Kickboxing federation of Northern Cyprus became a member of International Sport Kickboxing Association (ISKA) in 2011.^[39]
• 14th Euro-Asia Taekwon-Do Championships and First World Budo Martialarts Championships will be organized in Northern Cyprus in 2014.^[40]
• Northern Cyprus participated to the World Kickboxing Championship organized by International Sport Kickboxing Association (ISKA) in 2015.^[41]

Tennis

• Eliz Maloney Yorganci from Tennis Federation of Northern Cyprus became champion in the 2014 UK Masters 14U Tennis Tournament.^[42]

Volleyball

• Volleyball Federation of Northern Cyprus administers a league in the country.

Wrestling

• Wrestling: Northern Cyprus is a member of International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA).^[43]

• On 18 May 2010 Northern Cyprus became a member of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF).^[44] Northern Cyprus participated in the First World Children's Games in 2011.^[45]

See also

• Football in Northern Cyprus

References

1. TRNC State Planning Organization. 2008 Yılı Makroekonomik ve Sektörel Gelişmeler, p.176-179.
2. "Swimming record from Turkey to Northern Cyprus". Brtk.net. Retrieved 2010-11-17.
3. Kibris Postasi 29 May 2015
4. Spor Kibris 30 May 2015
5. European Pocket Billiard Federation's Members Billiard Federation of North Cyprus (BFNC) is a member of European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF)
6. 2010 European Billiard Championship Scoreboard
7. Billiardapps North Cyprus - Cyprus match results
8. UMB members
9. European Pool Billard Federation official website Dynamic Billard European Championships Started
10. ECF Official Webpage
11. Kibrispostasi The team of Northern Cyprus Darts Federation won third place in Spain
12. International EasyKart Federation's Members EasyKart Federation of North Cyprus is a member of International EasyKart Federation
13. 2008 International Easykart Championship Zeka Özteknik of Northern Cyprus became champion.
14. Footandbool
15. Daria Isachenko, The Making of Informal States: Statebuilding in Northern Cyprus and Transdniestria, p.189
16. PlayTheGame
18. ConIFA
19. "Vasiliou to play in the north". Cyprus Mail. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
20. "Değirmenlik Kulübü’nün dün kadrosuna kattığı Demetris Vasiliou, KTFF liglerinde forma giyen ilk Rum futbolcu olacak". Kıbrıs Gazetesi. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
21. "Greek Cypriot footballer labelled traitor for joining Turkish Cypriot team". Worldbulletin. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
22. Çevik, İlnur (30 September 2014). "Are Greek Cypriots ready to embrace Turks?". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
23. Stevenson, Peter (6 October 2014). "Soccer-Sport back on the front-line of Cypriot political divide". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
24. World Football ELO Ratings 27 October 2014
25. Federation International Football ennis Association's Members North Cyprus is a member of Federation International FootballTennis Association (FIFTA)
26. North Cyprus became 6th in 9th World Footballtennis Championship
27. 2011 European FootballTennis Championship is in Northern Cyprus
28. 11th World Footballtennis Championship
29. Golf Today Golf in Northern Cyprus
30. F3J Participants
31. Eser of North Cyprus is champion in 2011
32. Mail Online Daredevil pensioner Peggy McAlpine leaps into the sky aged 104 to become world's oldest paraglider.
33. NSRA.co.uk
34. The official website of the Global Taekwon-Do Federation North Cyprus is a member of Global Taekwon-Do Federation
35. "Members of GTF". Web.mac.com. Retrieved 17 November 2010.
36. Star North Cyprus to host GTF World Championship in 2013
39. ISKA Official website Welcome new member "North Cyprus" in the ISKA Family
40. GTF TRNC
41. Northern Cyprus Judo, Hapkido and Kickbox Federation
42. LTA British Tennis
43. FILA Official Website Northern Cyprus is a member
44. North Cyprus became a member of ISSF NC is a member of ISSF.
45. World Children's Game Program