Hugh Robertson leads delegation to Turkey bringing together major companies involved in the London 2012 Games
Istanbul; February 20, 2013: Hugh Robertson, Minister for Sport and Tourism of the United Kingdom, today concluded a trade mission to Turkey including a series of meetings with representatives of Istanbul's bid to host the Olympic Games and Paralympics in 2020.
Hugh Robertson met yesterday in Ankara with Suat Kılıç, the Turkish Minister of Sports and Ugur Erdener, IOC member and President of the Turkish NOC, before returning to Istanbul to meet Hasan Arat, President of the Istanbul 2020 bid. trade mission brought together more than 20 British companies involved in the success of the London 2012 Games, including architectural firm Populous and British Telecom.
Suat Kılıç, Minister of Sports of Turkey, commented on this trade mission led by the British Ministry:
“I attended the London Games this summer. They set the bar very high. Turkey shares the same ambition to organize major sporting events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020. This is why it is very relevant for us to receive Mr. Robertson and this delegation of British experts, in order to discuss possible collaborations between Turkey and the United Kingdom. Our meetings were very productive and I believe that, on both sides, we learned a lot. »
Concluding his latest meetings in Turkey, Hugh Robertson, Minister for Sport and Tourism of Great Britain, said today: "This trade visit comes at a time when relations between Turkey and Great Britain have never been so good. Turkey is currently going through an exciting moment in its sporting history. The Istanbul 2020 bid symbolizes this passion, and highlights the city's fantastic heritage in a country that showcases the best in both Asia and Europe. This is why bringing together here in Turkey this solid British expertise, recently at work in the organization of the London Games, is an extremely useful initiative for both parties. Our experience in designing and organizing major international events is now available to Turkey. »
The British initiative around this trade mission is motivated by the major development of Turkey as a host country for international sporting events. Istanbul alone has hosted more than 40 international sporting events in the past seven years, including 12 last year, including the IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships, FINA World Swimming Championships and the WTA tournament. These events consolidated the reliability of Istanbul as an organizer of major sports competitions.
Hasan Arat, President of Istanbul 2020, said: “It is a great honor for Turkey to receive this high-ranking delegation from the United Kingdom in the aftermath of the London 2012 Games, Games which set new standards of excellence in organization. In this regard, it is of considerable importance for us to meet Hugh Robertson and the British companies and to incorporate their valuable advice, which is particularly useful to us in our final preparations before the visit of the Evaluation Commission of the International Committee Olympic in five weeks. »
Uğur Erdener, IOC member and President of the Turkish NOC, commented: “Welcoming this British mission is a highlight for Turkish sport. The personalities we received represent a large number of companies whose role in the success of London 2012 was major. Considering Turkey's significant development in the international sports scene, I am convinced that we can learn a lot from their expertise and benefit from mutual cooperation for many years. »
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