Turkish-Armenians gear up for Pan-Armenian Games

Battling financial woes and the occasional abuse from other competitors, nearly 70 athletes from Istanbul will participate in this summer’s Pan-Armenian Games in Yerevan.

"Whatever problems may come in our way, we will go to Yerevan to raise our flag with [Istanbul’s symbol] tulip on it," Majak Ohanyan Çakır, the head of the Turkey squad and a Pan-Armenian Games World Committee member, recently told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.

The fifth edition of the quadrennial Pan-Armenian Games will be held in Yerevan between Aug. 13 and 21 and will feature the participation of athletes from Armenian communities in more than 25 countries. The Pan-Armenian Games’ program includes sports such as football, futsal, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, tennis, athletics, swimming, badminton and chess.

Meline Kovan, who returned to Turkey with a swimming medal in 2007, said they would participate in football, basketball, volleyball, chess, tennis, table tennis and athletics at the games.

The Turkish squad had a successful campaign in 2007, and the highlight was receiving the honor of "the group representing its city the best," from Serge Sarkisian, then-prime minister and current president of Armenia.

However, the Turkish-Armenian squad has had some problems, as the Istanbul basketball team reportedly suffered a verbal and a physical attack from United States’ team on the court.

"In Turkey, we are not seen as Turks and in Armenia, we are not seen as Armenians," said Ohanyan Çakır.  

However, he played down the talk of a possible problem in Yerevan this time.

"Attacks and pressure toward our squad have gradually decreased," Ohanyan Çakır said. "And we always came back with medals."

Haygaram Karasu, who has taken part in the Turkey’s squad since the first Games, agreed that the positive memories easily outnumber the negatives.

"When we go to the games we always meet our childhood friends who migrated from Turkey a long time ago," he said.

Now, the biggest thorn in the Pan-Armenian medal hopefuls’ side is financial woes.

"The members of the Armenian community in Istanbul are collecting donations," Ohanyan Çakır explained, adding that the athletes also have trouble finding facilities to train. "The Football Federation opened their facilities in the previous Games and Istanbul Metropolitan and Şişli Municipalities made small financial supports."

Ohanyan Çakır said they used to have some problems with Turkish authorities in the past.

"When going for the inaugural Pan-Armenian Games in 1999 we had some problems with the Turkish authority, who did not want us to go, but we did not back down," said Ohanyan Çakır. "But after the years passed by, there was no longer pressure against us here. We inform the Foreign and Interior ministries, as well as the patriarchate, but that’s it."

The first Pan-Armenian Games took place from Aug. 28, 1999 to Sept. 5, 1999, during which delegations from 62 cities and 23 countries participated. The second games took place in 2001, followed by the third one in 2003.

In 2003, it was decided to transform the games into once every four years, instead of once every two years, and the fourth Pan-Armenian Games were held in 2007. This decision, however, was reversed, and the fifth edition was held in 2009. This year’s event will run from Aug. 13 to 21.


/Hurriyet Daily News/