Veteran sports journalist Alp Ulagay says Turkey’s triumphs in both sports was the result of careful planning – and an infusion of talent from the Balkans.
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Although Fenerbahce Beko of Istanbul stumbled in their semi-final game and missed the opportunity to win Europe’s most prestigious men’s basketball tournament for a second consecutive year on Friday, their recent record demonstrates the strength of the Turkish game: reaching the Final Four seven times in the last 10 years and winning the title twice.
Similarly, in women’s volleyball, VakifBank S.K. defeated fellow Turkish club Eczacibasi Dynavit in the CEV Champions League final on May 3 to become European champions.
This was just the latest evidence of how Turkish volleyball and basketball clubs are flying high in the European sporting arena.
This summer, Turkey’s national football team will be competing in the men’s World Cup. However, for decades, Turkey has struggled to establish itself as a force in European football despite massive investment, political attention and one of the continent’s most passionate fan cultures.
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