Turkey football team lodges formal protest against rude treatment in Iceland airport

Turkey has lodged a formal protest this morning over the allegedly rude treatment its national football team received at Iceland's largest airport after arriving for a European Championship qualifying match.

TVNZ reports the Turkish team has complained that it was delayed at Keflavik Airport yesterday while officials searched bags at a slow pace.

Frustration escalated once the team was through security when an unidentified man held a cleaning brush up to team captain Emre Belezoglu while the Turkish player was speaking to reporters.

Video footage shows the brush popping up toward Belezoglu's face as if it were a microphone.

Turkey captain Emre Belozoglu had a washing-up brush held out to him in place of a microphone as he answered questions after the long wait at Keflavik airport. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Turkish media have called the team's treatment "disrespectful" and "racist."

Iceland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed a formal protest was brought.

TVNZ

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