President of The European Capital of Sport Association (ACES) announced that İstanbul was selected the European Capital of Sport in 2012.
ACES President Gian Francesco Lupatelli declared the decision in a press conference at İstanbul’s Atatürk Airport yesterday, accompanied by Turkey’s chief EU Negotiator Egemen Bağış and Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municiaplity Kadir Topbaş.
Stating that officials from the association had carried out a number of inspections in İstanbul, Lupatelli said he was happy to announce that İstanbul was selected as the European Capital of Sport for 2012. He added that the association has invited Bağış and Topbaş to receive the certificate of the title in a meeting in European Parliament in Brussels on November 30th.
Speaking after the ACES president, Bağış said Turkey is one of the most dynamic countries in Europe, adding: “I think it means a lot that İstanbul was announced the European Capital of Sport after having been named European Capital of Culture 2010. European Capital of Sport aims to make everybody, young and old, interested in sports and increase communication between European cities.”