If you are traveling to Turkey you must be ready to talk football. No, not the NFL and the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks but what the rest of the world considers football and what Americans call soccer. Football is the most popular sport in Turkey. Since the turn of the century the Turkish national team has experienced some success on the international scene including a third place finish in the 2002 FIFA World Cup followed by an appearance in the semi-finals UEFA Euro competition in ‘08.

(Left: Tayyip Erdogan, Right: Aziz Yildirim)

A huge story dominating the sports scene in Turkey right now and over the last couple of years is match-fixing in Turkey's top football league. At the center of the controversy is Istanbul based Fenerbahce – the Dallas Cowboys of Turkey football. Fenerbahce chairman Aziz Yildirim was convicted in 2012 of fixing matches and organizing a criminal gang to facilitate the match-fixing. Yildirim was sentenced to over 6 years in prison but insists he was framed – a claim that is supported by Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. Yildirim insists a parallel state, specifically 'cemaat,' is behind these accusations. Fenerbahce has been banned from European matches by UEFA along with their rival Besiktas. Last month, Yildirm received another damning blow as Supreme Court of Appeals upheld his conviction for match-fixing. On February 16, Yildirm, out-on-bail pending appeal, went to the streets along with thousands of fans to protest the court’s decision. Yildirm will have to return to prison if his final appeal is rejected.

Read more:
Fenerbahçe fans march for 'justice' in İstanbul
Fenerbahce boss links soccer match-fixing case to Turkey corruption probe

(Asli Cakir Alptekin, AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Not only are the Turks dealing with issues on the football pitch but also another form of corruption is effecting their Olympians. This past August thirty-one Turkish athletes were suspended for using performance enhancing drugs - including 2012 Olympic champion in the 1500 meter Asli Cakir Alptekin and 2004 hammer throw silver medalist Esref Apak. In December, Turkey repealed the suspension of Alptekin but the IAAF once again reinforced the lifetime ban. This was the second offense by Alptekin.These suspensions expose the ramped use of PEDs in Turkish athletics and is the primary reason many believe Istanbul lost the bid for the 2020 Olympics to Japan. This doping scandal was the primary reason Turkish Athletics Federation chairman Mehmet Terzi stepped down after nine years in office. On the bright side, FIFA found no football players guilty of doping after retesting over 600 samples.
Read more:
31 Turkish athletes suspended for doping
IAAF appeals Turkey decision to clear Alptekin

Although the Turks are more prevalent and competitive in the Summer Olympic Games - Turkey sent 6 competitors to Sochi for this year’s winter games.

2014 Turkey Olympians

Alper UCAR

Figure Skating - Ice Dance Short Dance (Finished: 22nd)

Alisa AGAFONOVA

Figure Skating

Ice Dance Short Dance (Finished: 22nd)

Emre SIMSEK

Alpine Skiing

Men's Giant Slalom Run 1 (Finished: 76)

Kelime CETINKAYA

Cross-Country

Ladies' Skiathlon 7.5 km Classic + 7.5 km Free (Finished: 61)

Ladies' Sprint Free Qualification (Finished: 67)

Ladies' 10km Classic (Finished: 56)

Sabahattin OGLAGO

Cross-Country

Men's Sprint Free Qualification (Finished: 75)

Men's 15km Classic (Finished: 71)

Tugba KOCAAGA

Alpine Skiing

Women's Giant Slalom Run 1 (Finished: 70)

Women's Giant Slalom Run 2 (Finished: 59)

Turkey’s first ever duo, Alisa Agafonova and Alper Uçar, competed in Figure Skating Ice Dance this year. The only prior competitor in figure skating came in 2006 and 2010 as Tugba Karademir represented Turkey.

Despite only sending 6 competitors, Turkey is making advancements to become a bigger player in future winter games and look to be a force after constructing facilities leading up to Istanbul’s hosting of the 2011 Winter Universiade. These facilities include ice rinks, dedicated ski slopes, a biathlon venue and a ski jumping hill. This foundation will eventually lead to better and more prepared Turkish athletes competing on the international scene. It won’t happen overnight but soon Turkey will be able to compete on a high level in the Winter Olympics.

Read more:
Turkey lags behind sporting giants in Winter Olympic squads

Turkey to compete in couples’ figure skating for first time at Sochi Olympics

Winter Universiade - Sochi delegation the legacy of Turkish Universiade

Turkish pragmatism at Sochi Olympics

(Emrah Gurel/Associated Press)

Turkey did come up big in the Winter Olympics and possibly saved the entire winter games. Turkey thwarted a hijacking attempt by an inebriated Ukrainian man during the opening ceremonies. The man attempted to enter the cockpit claiming he had a detonator to explosives in his hand and demanded the plane head to Sochi. These threats weren't taken lightly as there were heightened security concerns surrounding the games. Turkey was able to squash this threat easily without anyone being hurt and the opening ceremony went on without a glitch. There might not be many Turks at this year’s Winter Games but the country made a key save.

Read more:

Turkish F-16s scrambled for'drunken' Sochi hijack attempt

Quick Hits

-Current Turkish side Sivasspor coach and FIFA Cup Dream Team member Roberto Carlos is contemplating a return to Spain at season’s end. Carlos, considered one of the greatest soccer players of all-time, is in discussions with multiple teams but hasn’t ruled out staying in Turkey.

(Roberto Carlos)

-On the hardwood, Turkey will host the women’s 2014 FIBA World Championship from September 27^th to October 5^th. The United States has won 6 of the last 9 FIBA World Championships dating back to 1979. Turkey has high hopes for this year.

-The Turkey men’s hoops team nabbed a wildcard slot in this year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup and are set to face New Zealand on August 30^th and USA the following day in Spain. The Turks feature Houston Rockets’ big man Omer Asik and former Longhorn Dogus Balbay.