Sertoğlu is re-elected KTFF chief
HASAN Sertoğlu has been re-elected as the president of the Cyprus Turkish Football Association (KTFF) for another four years.
Mr Sertoğlu, who has been in charge of the KTFF since November 2010, won by 31 votes to one against rival Tekin Birinci during last Saturday’s ballot. It is his fourth election victory.
Speaking during the KTFF’s annual general meeting at the Ahmed Sami Topcan Conference Hall in Lefkoşa, ahead of the voting, Mr Sertoğlu said that the next football season would go ahead following a oneyear hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We had a serious meeting with the Health Minister [Ünal Üstel],” he said. “He said that football will be played in the coming season, just as football is being played in the world. This is something very important. When the new minister said this, he made us very happy.
“The main reason that football was not played last season was the track and trace system. No sports match could have been played with that system.”
Mr Birinci said that the KTFF election process had “not been nice” and that his main aim had been to ensure a “fair” election.
“I brought this to the agenda because [Mr Sertoğlu] had said he would not serve for more than three terms,” he told KTFF club representatives.
“After the courts process I have withdrawn all my cases. My aim in becoming a candidate was to bring other projects to the agenda, and not just projects with funding from the state, but ones that would generate revenue.
“I respect the vote the clubs will give. Even if I do not become the president, I am ready to play my part.” Following the vote, Mr Sertoğlu thanked those who supported him.