ISTANBUL - The organisers of the Turkish Grand Prix on Friday stood behind their controversial decision to allow the head of an unrecognised country to lead the trophy presentation.
Turkey risks being stripped of its Formula One race in the row that erupted after Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat presented Ferrari driver Felipe Massa with the winner`s trophy.
The internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government -- which has no diplomatic relations with Turkey -- immediately protested the appearance of Talat, president of the breakaway Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC), which is recognized only by Ankara.
In a statement sent to AFP Friday, the head of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO), Murat Yalcintas, underlined that their choice of Talat to present the trophy was not driven by political motives.
"Even though the issue of the Turkish Cypriots of Northern Cyprus is a national cause for our country, the podium ceremony of the successful F1 race was in no way conducted with the purpose of gaining political advantage," Yalcintas said.
"According to F1 podium ceromony regulations, Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat, as a dignitary of international status, was the most senior (person on the protocol list) attending the event. For this reason, he was invited to present the award to the winner of the race."
The Cyprus Automobile Association (CAA) said Turkey had a lot of explaining to do before the world body.
"In my personal opinion it was a silly move, Mr. Talat is not a president," CAA general manager Takis Kyriakides told AFP.
"It`s Turkey`s sporting authority which will have to explain itself before the FIA on September 19, that`s the body responsible," he added.
The CAA also made an official protest to the FIA over the appearance of Talat as `TRNC president` on the winner`s podium.
At the time, the Cyprus government called the move an "unacceptable piece of provocative propaganda".
ITO owns a majority share in the Istanbul Formula One circuit and is also the organiser of the race.
The sport`s world governing body FIA is furious that it has been dragged into a political row and is now studying disciplinary measures against the organisers of the Turkish Grand Prix.
"It could be the end of FIA-sanctioned events in Turkey," a spokesman for the governing body told AFP in Italy on Thursday. "The Turkish Motorsport Federation also risks being expelled from FIA."
The FIA has summoned the organisers of the Turkish Grand Prix to an extraordinary meeting in Paris on September 19 to face charges of breaking Formula One rules.
Cyprus has been divided along ethnic lines since 1974, when Turkey invaded its northern third in response to a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at uniting the island with Greece.
Turkish Cypriots proclaimed the TRNC in 1983 and the Greek Cypriot government has been extremely sensitive since to any move that may suggest an upgrading of the breakaway state.
09/08/2006 16:02 GMT