CENEVRE - The head of Turkey's football federation said on Friday that Turkey should continue running for European football championship bids.
Mahmut Ozgener, the chairman of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), said Turkey should go on bidding for European football championships as it had today convinced the Union of European Football Federations (UEFA) that it could host such an event.
Ozgener's remarks came after UEFA delegates picked France as the host country of EURO 2016. Turkey and Italy were the other two bidders to host Europe's largest sports event.
"Turkey has deserved such a tournament as a country of football, a country with a big economy and a young population," Ozgener told reporters.
Ozgener said he felt sorry that Turkey lost the bid to host EURO 2016 with only one vote behind the winner.
Earlier on Friday, Turkey's President Abdullah Gul also expressed sorrow to lose the bid.
"We are sorry to miss the opportunity with only one vote," Gul told reporters.
France organized the championship in 1960 and 1984. Euro 2016 will be the third European soccer championship France will host. (