"As a sportsperson, I cannot accept that Israel remains within the realm of sports while these crimes are being committed in Gaza," the Turkish Federation president said during his participation in the Mediterranean Dialogues Forum, hosted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Institute for Political Studies (ISPI) in Naples.
Haji Osmanoglu also stressed that sports should be a means of peace and human solidarity.
The Turkish official criticized the double standards that led to Russia's exclusion from the events in Ukraine within days, while the world remained silent on the situation in Gaza.
The Turkish Federation President also reviewed his country's efforts in organizing international tournaments and developing its sports infrastructure, affirming President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's continued support for sports and calling on the international community to extend a helping hand to the children of Gaza and restore hope to them through sports and peace.
