Erdoğan vows to make Istanbul global sports hub

ISTANBUL

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has pledged to transform Istanbul into the "capital of sports," citing major cities such as Barcelona, Los Angeles, and London as examples.

"Many developed countries have viewed sports centers as strategic investments for the prestige and future of their cities. We see how sports investments turn those cities into global brands," Erdoğan said at the inauguration of a basketball facility in Istanbul on Sept. 29.

The Basketball Development Center includes a 10,000-seat main court, four additional ones, a hotel for athletes and a museum and library dedicated to sports culture.

Primarily serving the men’s and women’s national basketball teams, the facility also houses a specialized basketball high school aimed at fostering young talent.

"With the magnificent work we are currently in, Istanbul will be the capital of history, culture, art and sports," Erdoğan said. "This is also one of the strongest steps taken for Istanbul to reach its rightful place on the world sports stage."

Erdoğan expressed hopes that the facility, which he described as a "talent acquisition center" for Turkish basketball, will nurture future stars.

"Our athletes will make history with the matches they play here, write epics, and achieve successes that make us all proud as a nation," he added.