Latest news with #Celik
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bosnia's women rugby pioneers target Olympic qualification
By Amel Emric ZENICA, Bosnia (Reuters) -Erna Huseinovic fell in love with rugby after coaching young children at a local club in the central town of Zenica, the home of Bosnia's first women's rugby sevens team. A speedy winger, Huseinovic is preparing with her teammates for their first international competition in Croatia in September. "I found in rugby something that I did not find in other sports," said Huseinovic, a 25-year-old student at the Zenica faculty for sports. "The goal of my team is to achieve success in regional competitions and qualify for the 2032 Olympic Games," she said. Rugby has been played for 50 years in Zenica, and Celik, regular winners of rugby championships in the former Yugoslavia, established the first women's team last year after a previous attempt had failed during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our goal is to form women's teams in several cities across Bosnia so they can compete in domestic and international competitions," said Mirza Oruc, a vice-president of Bosnia's rugby association and coach of the national women's team. "We want to compete in rugby sevens and qualify for the Brisbane Olympic Games," Oruc told Reuters, adding that sevens was a version of rugby helping to break stereotypes about the tough sport being exclusively for men. Sara Hadzic, 25, heard about rugby at Zenica university, where she studies German language and literature. "I wanted to try something new and different, to meet new girlfriends," said Hadzic, who did karate as a child. "I am playing now recreationally but I might go professional in the future." The mothers of several children training at the Celik club decided to try out the sports themselves. "Rugby is love, friendship, socializing, family," said Brankica Sekerovic. "I have come to the club as a supporter during tournaments and met some wonderful mums ... and then came a love for rugby."
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Bosnia's women rugby pioneers target Olympic qualification
Members of female section of the rugby club Celik practice with the ball during a training with the hope that they will soon be ready to compete in regional and international competitions, with the ultimate goal of participating in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 4, 2025. REUTERS/Amel Emric Members of female section of the rugby club Celik run with the ball during training with the hope that they will soon be ready to compete in regional and international competitions, with the ultimate goal of participating in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 4, 2025. REUTERS/Amel Emric Members of female section of the rugby club Celik practice with the ball during a training with the hope that they will soon be ready to compete in regional and international competitions, with the ultimate goal of participating in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 4, 2025. REUTERS/Amel Emric Members of female section of the rugby club Celik practice with the ball during a training with the hope that they will soon be ready to compete in regional and international competitions, with the ultimate goal of participating in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 4, 2025. REUTERS/Amel Emric Members of female section of the rugby club Celik prepare for training with the hope that they will soon be ready to compete in regional and international competitions, with the ultimate goal of participating in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 4, 2025. REUTERS/Amel Emric ZENICA, Bosnia - Erna Huseinovic fell in love with rugby after coaching young children at a local club in the central town of Zenica, the home of Bosnia's first women's rugby sevens team. A speedy winger, Huseinovic is preparing with her teammates for their first international competition in Croatia in September. "I found in rugby something that I did not find in other sports," said Huseinovic, a 25-year-old student at the Zenica faculty for sports. "The goal of my team is to achieve success in regional competitions and qualify for the 2032 Olympic Games," she said. Rugby has been played for 50 years in Zenica, and Celik, regular winners of rugby championships in the former Yugoslavia, established the first women's team last year after a previous attempt had failed during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our goal is to form women's teams in several cities across Bosnia so they can compete in domestic and international competitions," said Mirza Oruc, a vice-president of Bosnia's rugby association and coach of the national women's team. "We want to compete in rugby sevens and qualify for the Brisbane Olympic Games," Oruc told Reuters, adding that sevens was a version of rugby helping to break stereotypes about the tough sport being exclusively for men. Sara Hadzic, 25, heard about rugby at Zenica university, where she studies German language and literature. "I wanted to try something new and different, to meet new girlfriends," said Hadzic, who did karate as a child. "I am playing now recreationally but I might go professional in the future." The mothers of several children training at the Celik club decided to try out the sports themselves. "Rugby is love, friendship, socializing, family," said Brankica Sekerovic. "I have come to the club as a supporter during tournaments and met some wonderful mums ... and then came a love for rugby." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Bosnia's women rugby pioneers target Olympic qualification
Members of female section of the rugby club Celik prepare for training with the hope that they will soon be ready to compete in regional and international competitions, with the ultimate goal of participating in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 4, 2025. REUTERS/Amel Emric ZENICA, Bosnia (Reuters) -Erna Huseinovic fell in love with rugby after coaching young children at a local club in the central town of Zenica, the home of Bosnia's first women's rugby sevens team. A speedy winger, Huseinovic is preparing with her teammates for their first international competition in Croatia in September. "I found in rugby something that I did not find in other sports," said Huseinovic, a 25-year-old student at the Zenica faculty for sports. "The goal of my team is to achieve success in regional competitions and qualify for the 2032 Olympic Games," she said. Rugby has been played for 50 years in Zenica, and Celik, regular winners of rugby championships in the former Yugoslavia,established the first women's team last year after a previous attempt had failed during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our goal is to form women's teams in several cities across Bosnia so they can compete in domestic and international competitions," said Mirza Oruc, a vice-president of Bosnia's rugby association and coach of the national women's team. "We want to compete in rugby sevens and qualify for the Brisbane Olympic Games," Oruc told Reuters, adding that sevens was a version of rugby helping to break stereotypes about the tough sport being exclusively for men. Sara Hadzic, 25, heard about rugby at Zenica university, where she studies German language and literature. "I wanted to try something new and different, to meet new girlfriends," said Hadzic, who did karate as a child. "I am playing now recreationally but I might go professional in the future." The mothers of several children training at the Celik club decided to try out the sports themselves. "Rugby is love, friendship, socializing, family," said Brankica Sekerovic. "I have come to the club as a supporter during tournaments and met some wonderful mums ... and then came a love for rugby." (Reporting by Amel Emric and Daria Sito-Sucic, editing by Ed Osmond)
Shafaq News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Turkiye hails PKK dissolution as historic step toward national unity
Shafaq News/ On Monday, Turkiye welcomed the Kurdistan Workers' Party's (PKK) decision to dissolve itself and end its decades-long armed campaign. Omer Celik, spokesperson for the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, said the PKK's dissolution—announced following a call by imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan—marks 'an important step toward the goal of a terror-free Turkiye.' 'The decision of the PKK to dissolve itself and lay down its arms following the call from Imrali is an important step,' Celik said, referring to Ocalan's detention on Imrali Island. 'If fully implemented—through the dismantling of all PKK branches and illegal structures—it will represent a turning point.' Celik emphasized that Turkish state institutions will closely monitor the implementation process on the ground, with all developments reported directly to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He underscored that the process is being guided by a comprehensive state strategy, reflecting Erdogan's 'long-standing commitment' to internal security and national cohesion. He also credited the 'historic call' and support of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli, whose alliance with the AK Party has reinforced Turkiye's domestic political front. 'This process is about much more than ending armed activity—it is about restoring the primacy of democratic politics as the legitimate framework for addressing differences,' Celik noted. He said that productive dialogue among political institutions has enabled Turkiye to move beyond armed conflict toward a future rooted in citizenship and constitutional values. Celik also warned against complacency, stressing that the decision must be implemented 'in all its aspects, both internally and externally.' He argued that full and concrete action is necessary to block foreign efforts to destabilize the region through proxy militias. 'A truly terror-free Turkiye will empower democratic institutions, strengthen national unity, and allow all political actors to operate more freely and effectively,' he said, adding that the Parliament and broader political system will benefit from the removal of threats posed by terrorism. Sayın Cumhurbaşkanımızın 'terörsüz Türkiye' için ortaya koyduğu yüksek siyasi iradesi ve sürecin koordinatlarını 'devlet politikası' olarak çizen kapsayıcı ve net yaklaşımı ile Sayın Devlet Bahçeli'nin tarihi çağrısı, gelişmelere dönük duruşu ve yönlendirmeleri, topyekun 'iç… — Ömer Çelik (@omerrcelik) May 12, 2025 The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union, announced its dissolution earlier Monday through the Firat News Agency. The group described the move as the conclusion of its 'historical mission' and called for a redefinition of Turkish-Kurdish relations through political means. The development follows a February appeal by Ocalan, who urged all affiliated armed groups to disband and shift focus to political engagement.
Asharq Al-Awsat
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
PKK Decision to Dissolve Important Step, Ruling Party Spokesman Says
A spokesperson for President Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party said on Monday that the decision by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to dissolve was an important step towards a "terror-free Türkiye". In a social media post, Celik said the disbanding process would be meticulously monitored in the field by state institutions, reported Reuters. Concrete and complete implementation of the PKK decision would be a turning point, Celik added.
