Turkey takes extra security measures for Champions League game

By Ercan Gurses ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey has taken additional measures to ensure the safety of the AS Monaco team visiting Istanbul this week for a Champions League qualifying game against Fenerbahce after a failed coup attempt in the country, the sports minister said on Monday. "Monaco demanded some extra security measures. We took these measures. We will make sure that their safety has the utmost guarantee," Sports Minister Akif Cagatay Kilic told Reuters. Kilic said Turkey would react negatively to a potential Monaco demand to postpone the game, pointing to France hosting the Euro 2016 tournament under a state of emergency after militant attacks. "So we should have withdrawn the Turkish national team from the tournament? There is nothing negative going on in Turkey now. Everything has been taken under control swiftly," he said. French fans will not be allowed into Turkey if French authorities make a decision not to let in Turkish fans for the second leg on Aug. 3, Kilic said. He also criticised comments by foreign sportsmen leaving Turkey, citing security concerns after the failed coup attempt on July 15. "Those who want to leave Turkey should not have made such statements. This upsets us. But it's their own decision. They are acting as if there is no terror risk in the countries they go to." (Reporting by Ercan Gurses; Writing by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Daren Butler and Ed Osmond)