Erdogan Launches Turkish Bid to Host Euro 2020

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Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday urged UEFA to award his country the right to host the 2020 European football championships.

"Give us Euro 2020," said Erdogan at the end of his address before the UEFA Congress here.

Turkey lost the bid to host Euro 2016, which was awarded to France.

And UEFA member countries now have from next Monday until May 15 to officially lodge their bid to host the 2020 edition.

"We're catching up in terms of infrastructure," said Erdogan, who announced the construction of 18 new stadia across the country.

"Turkey has a young population, half of whom are aged under 30. Turkey has great potential on the economic and sporting fronts," the prime minister continued.

"Turkey is a country which adores football, where there are many fans," added Erdogan, a keen footballer in his youth whose parents did not want him to pursue his dream of becoming a professional player.

"My father was right and I chose another path, but I learned a lot from football, I learned coordination, solidarity, to share, to pass the ball, to establish eye contact, communicate, and to speak from the heart."

Meanwhile UEFA president Michel Platini said he would vote for Turkey to host the tournament if they did not win the bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games.

"Turkey had a strong dossier for 2016, it will be even stronger in 2020, the only slight problem is that Istanbul will be a candidate to host the Olympic Games ... it's maybe a bit too much, but if Istanbul don't have the Olympics I would vote for Turkey."

While Turkey is bidding to host the Euro, the country has been urged by UEFA to deal quickly with a domestic match-fixing scandal that has seen 93 people, including the president of Fenerbahce, charged with rigging matches in the 2010-2011 season.

UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said Wednesday: "It is up to the competent bodies of the Turkish football federation (TFF) to take the necessary disciplinary measures.

"Once the TFF has made a decision we'll be keeping a close eye on this affair, whether the right decisions have been taken or not."