The sports summit, organized by Turkovaz Media Group, continued with a special session focusing on “Women’s Football.”
The session witnessed the participation of Necla Güngor Kiragaci, coach of the women’s national team, and Yagmur Oraz, captain of the women’s national football team.
Necla Gungor Kiragasi highlighted the women’s national team’s recent success in beating Georgia 2-0, securing a clean sheet and finishing second in Group C of the UEFA Nations League.
She stressed the challenges she faced and the necessity of overcoming obstacles, saying: “It was not easy to convince people, but we achieved this success by starting the journey with players we trust.”
Kiragasi stressed the importance of involving girls in football and increasing employment opportunities in women’s football, noting that “women’s football is gradually growing, and investors should view it as an investment in the future of girls’ and women’s employment.”
Yamur Oraz, captain of the women’s national football team, shared her personal journey from playing football in the rain as a child to her current aspirations, aiming to become a champion and top scorer in Fenerbahce.
Oraz expressed his happiness at playing in front of full stands and called for more support from the fans. She encouraged girls to dream big and called on families to support their children’s football aspirations.
In a separate session titled “Investing in Women’s Football,” Necla Güngör Kiragaci discussed the continued growth of women’s football globally and in Turkey, citing the 2019 Women’s World Cup as a turning point.
She highlighted the growing awareness and visibility of women’s football, as major clubs form women’s teams, which leads to enhanced competition and improved performance.
Kiragasi acknowledged the growing interest from sponsors in women’s football, noting that its visibility had increased.
She expressed her commitment to becoming a role model for young athletes and stressed the importance of continuous personal development.
Kiragasi called on parents to support their children and encouraged girls to challenge their limits and achieve big dreams in the world of football.
The summit also included an exclusive session entitled “Volleyball Country Turkey”, in which Mehmet Akif Ustundag, President of the Turkish Volleyball Federation, Tankut Turnaoglu, President of Procter & Gamble in Turkey, the Caucasus and Central Asia, and Belin Celik, Director of the Turkish Volleyball Federation, participated. Women’s National Volleyball Team, Brainstorming.
Mehmet Akif Ustundag highlighted the unique success story of Turkish volleyball globally and in Europe, expressing high expectations for Olympic medals.