Why are their Asian teams in UEFA?

[Forza]

The Asian teams have come a long way and some can now compete with the Euros and the South Americans. As for countries like Kazakstan, they have sizab;e Euro populations so that must be part of it. They also are challenged much more and become better footbalsers as a results.

[Panathenian_fan]

Officially Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia are in Europe. In the further extent of Europe. That's why they participate in UEFA.

What is unjustified is Israel.

[African]

Technically, only a very small portion of Turkey is Europe proper, that is the area west of the Bosphorous, which includes Constandinople. Asia minor is techinically in Asia. European inhabitted it for thousands of years and were recently explelled in the 20th century by the Turks. Oddly enough, the western Turks, must have European blood in them, probably mostly Greek, as they look much more Euro than the central and eastern Turks, who are much darker and look more asian. As for playing in UEFA, good question. I think there is more than one right answer, and they would differ greatly. Maybe a few African countires can play in UEFA, it may just help the Africans achieve success that would take much longer than doing it alone in Africa.

[Panathenian_fan]

Originally Posted by African

Technically, only a very small portion of Turkey is Europe proper, that is the area west of the Bosphorous, which includes Constandinople. Asia minor is techinically in Asia. European inhabitted it for thousands of years and were recently explelled in the 20th century by the Turks. Oddly enough, the western Turks, must have European blood in them, probably mostly Greek, as they look much more Euro than the central and eastern Turks, who are much darker and look more asian. As for playing in UEFA, good question. I think there is more than one right answer, and they would differ greatly. Maybe a few African countires can play in UEFA, it may just help the Africans achieve success that would take much longer than doing it alone in Africa.

Basically modern day Turks belong to many different races. Most of the ones in the West are genetically Greeks as you mentioned and most of the ones in the East are genetically Arabs, Kurds, Anatolians etc. However their majority are Muslims, they have Turkish as their mother language and they consider their selves Turks.

The pure descedants of the Ottomans are not more than 10% of the Turkish population today. The early Turks had pale skin, not dark as many people falsely believe. The eastern Turks you mentioned are dark because of Kurdish and Arabic influence.

[Basque Boy]

They were lighter, but were they not more Asian eyed in features? Regardless, their western coasters are much more Euro looking now.

As for Isreal. I think one of the reasons they play in UEFA is that it is too dangerous for them to play in Asia.

[Panathenian_fan]

Originally Posted by Basque Boy

They were lighter, but were they not more Asian eyed in features? Regardless, their western coasters are much more Euro looking now.

Yes they were lighter, but they had Mongoloid-like eye shape. You can still find it in some Turks. As I said the people descent from these Turks are a few today. 95% of the West Turks look exactly like Greeks and 80% of the ones in the East are of Arabic or Kurdish descent.

I was talking with a person who descents from a known Ottoman family. He knows better the situation and we agreed that about 8%-12% of today's Turks descent from the Ottoman Turks.

Originally Posted by Basque Boy

As for Isreal. I think one of the reasons they play in UEFA is that it is too dangerous for them to play in Asia.

I've heard this many times but I can't completely understand it. I guess you mean about the danger of kamikaze attacks by Palestenians - but what stops the Palestenians to do this in a game of Israel with a European team? It is clearly matter of security if something like that will happen or not.

With the same logic we should move Bosnia for example to Asia .

[ralph]

The big difference is the Jewish community has much more influence than the Bosnian. They will stay in UEFA for a long time yet is my prediction.

[Panathenian_fan]

Originally Posted by ralph

The big difference is the Jewish community has much more influence than the Bosnian. They will stay in UEFA for a long time yet is my prediction.

Yes, that's where I wanted to end my conclusion. The influence of the Zionist lobby is what makes them participate in European leagues. Not just in sports, they even participate in the Eurovision song contest .