Following the breathtaking Dr. Suat Günsel Cup International Basketball Tournament that hosted by the Near East University and took place in TRNC with participation of leading FIBA Euroleague and EuroCup Women teams, Turkish Cypriot basketball lovers proposed that the Near East University Women's Basketball Team, which is the champion of Turkish Women's Basketball Super League 2017, Turkish Cup 2017 and FIBA EuroCup Women 2017, should be allowed to play its home games in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus from now on.

According to the press release issued by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of the Near East University, the basketball fans and enthusiasts, who followed the basketball tournament that organized on an international basis for the first time this year, wanted FIBA to allow the Near East University Women's Basketball Team to play their home matches in Northern Cyprus.

"I think, this tournament is the pride of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”
Zafer Kalaycıoğlu, head coach of the Near East University which ranked the second place in Dr. Suat Günsel Cup International Basketball Tournament, qualified the tournament as a pride.

Zafer Kalaycıoğlu: "We watched an extraordinary tournament. Teams that won three Euroleague championships in the last five years were here. Such a tournament that participated by leading teams of women basketball such as Galatasaray, CB Avenida, Castors Braine and ZWZ USK Prague hasn't been held even in Turkey. In this aspect, hosting such a tournament in TRNC is a source of pride. It is like as if leading teams of football like Barcelona and Real Madrid had come here. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this tournament. We represented them in the best possible way. Ignoring the embargos on our country, they came here in the sake of sports. Thus, they have proven everyone that sports knows no boundaries. This outstanding tournament has set a milestone for eliminating the embargos imposed on our country's sports.

Hüseyin Işıksal: "I hope, the tournament will set an example and be a good message for Euroleague....."
Touching upon the significance of hosting the tournament in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Mr. Işıksal underlined that they proved the world that TRNC had the capacity and infrastructure to realize such international organizations. "All our home matches, including Euroleague, can be played in our Sports Hall RA25 in front of an elite audience who knows basketball and do not run wild like hooligans. I hope, this tournament will set a good example and be a message for both guest teams and Euroleague. Because of the embargos imposed by Greeks for just political reasons, we are deprived of playing sports in our country. This is our basic right, now or then we will get it by breaking and removing all embargos on sports. I think, the ice has been broken. I firmly believe that we will get what we deserve in sports.

Right to sport is neither a political right nor a component that associated with the non-recognition of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It is our basic right; however, we are deprived of it. I followed the games closely throughout the tournament. The Near East University Women's Basketball Team is a successful team. Furthermore, organizing and hosting such an outstanding tournament participated by leading teams that won three Euroleague champs in the last five years is commendable. I would like to extend my appreciations to everyone who contributed to the tournament" said he.

If such organizations are carried out steadily, we will have broken the embargos in some way"
In his remarks, Ertuğ Nasıroğlu, Former President of Turkish Cypriot Basketball Federation, extended his appreciations to the Near East University for organizing and hosting such an international tournament in our country. "We are struggling with embargos. I hope, this tournament will constitute the first step towards breaking embargos. If we keep such international events on a steady base, we will have broken the embargos in some way" said he.

Our teams should have the right torepresent themselves at international platforms"
Stating that they wanted the teams of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to have their matches in TRNC without facing any hindrances, Ahmet Savaşan expressed his views: "Having Dr. Suat Günel Cup International Basketball Tournament with participation of leading teams of Euroleague in TRNC is a great happiness. As the champion of Turkish Women's Basketball League, Turkish Cup and FIBA EuroCup, we want all embargos imposed on our sports to be removed and that our teams, athletes will have opportunity to compete at international events and to play their home games in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus without facing any hindrances. From here, I want to address to the world. Remove the sports embargos on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and provide the teams of TRNC to represent themselves at international arena and let us live this beautiful enthusiasm all together both in our country and all around the world “said he.

“An important event in terms of making the voice of Turkish Cypriots heard across the world......”
Touching upon the crucial role of the tournament in promoting and introducing the country and the higher education in our country to the international scene, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Umut Koldaş stated that such activities should be augmented to improve the inter-societal confidence through sports and to give a breath to a society that prevented from being opened to world because of embargos.

"It is possible to devastate the embargos on every issue that we work with determination"
Indicating that Dr. Suat Günsel Cup International Basketball Tournament that held in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus with the participation of the leading teams of women basketball provided the basketball fans with opportunity to watch breathtaking matches in their own country, Hüseyin Aşkaroğlu said that it would be possible to demolish the embargos.

Hüseyin Aşkaroğlu, who expressed his belief that larger organizations would be hosted in the coming years with the experience gained from this tournament, extended his appreciations to Near East University for organizing and hosting such a significant tournament. “They provided us with opportunity to watch pleasant and wonderful games. The Near East University Women’s Basketball Team has enabled the spread of our country's name to wider geographies by achieving championship in Europe in their rookie year. It is possible to demolish embargos on every issue that we work with determination. We have shown the best example of this in sports. I hope the Turkish Cypriots get the place they deserve and become a partner of exciting games to be played in their own country" noted he.