Kıbrıs Media Group and Kemaler chain prepare to honour best footballers of ’18
PREPARATIONS are well under way for the 2018 Best Footballers of the Year awards, to be presented by Kıbrıs Media Group and the Kemaler chain of sports shops.
The annual event, the ninth of its kind, takes place on Wednesday and is regarded as one of the most prestigious in the TRNC. This year, however, it will be even more comprehensive, with the sports department of Kıbrıs, the Turkishlanguage sister newspaper of Cyprus Today, deciding not only to present awards to the most successful footballers but also to leaders in other areas of the sport.
Under the new format, the five most successful players, five referees and five technical directors will be identified at a lavish awards ceremony to honour them in Lefkoşa’s Golden Tulip Hotel.
Kemaler Group director Hulusi Kemaler said that, with Kıbrıs Media Group, they were “recognising the best” in the TRNC football community.
“Our objective and mission is to encourage the young towards sports and to reward those who are most successful by honouring them,” he said.
Mr Kemaler added that this year’s awards were “historic” because of the recent Fifa World Cup and the “TRNC national football team [having] played in the Conifa World Football Cup in London”.
Voting will involve representatives of the Cyprus Turkish Football Coaching Association, Cyprus Turkish Referees’ and Observers’ Association, Football Clubs’ Association, Cyprus Turkish Sports Writers’ Association, Footballers’ Association and the Kıbrıs sports desk.
Out of a total prize “pot” of 12,000TL, winners of each category will scoop 2,500TL, while there will be 1,000TL for runners-up and those in third place will pick up 500TL. There are also to be special awards given by sponsors Kemaler.
VIP guests including politicians, sportsmen and businessmen will all be at the prize-giving ceremony.