Football For All earns Turkey third star

The Turkish Football Association (TFF) has successfully achieved its third star in its third year as a signatory to the UEFA Grassroots Charter.

After becoming a charter member in 2007, the TFF has organised a number of grassroots tournaments and activities in various categories and in different regions – all under the Football for All programme. In 2009, the number of Football for All participants in Turkey had increased to 240,000 and, with the support of Ülker, the programme’s main sponsor, many projects were developed for children. As a result of all these activities, the TFF was awarded its second UEFA Grassroots Charter star.

Thanks to various other social responsibility projects aimed at increasing the number of disabled people and girls on the football pitch, Turkey has now achieved its third star, in the category of Football For All.

Ersun Yanal, the TFF's director of football, said: ''With grassroots Football For All activities, we aim to diversify football and increase the number of people who play the game. We encourage people to play sport anywhere and everywhere with grassroots projects. At the same time, we are helping to create a more effective 'sports culture' than we currently have in this country.

"Children's development is also very important. For this reason, we are looking into developing the current leagues and creating new ones. In particular we want more Turkish girls to become part of the game; we want a fourth star for the healthy development of women's football in Turkey."