Turkish authorities race to honor Turkish players

Updated: Tuesday July 02, 2002 06:47 a.m. ET

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- After confetti and rose petals, Turkey will shower its victorious World Cup squad with gold coins.

Turkish government and local authorities are racing with each other in honoring the Turkey squad which clinched third place in its first World Cup since 1954.

The government Monday announced that the team members will be honored with a state medal, while the sport's federation said each player will be given 300 gold coins. Coach Senol Gunes deserves 600 gold coins, they said.

Turkey beat co-host South Korea 3-2 Saturday to claim third place.

A day after they were welcomed by tens of thousands of jubilant fans in Istanbul, the Turkish treasury announced Monday that it was printing 300,000 "third in the world" commemorative coins.

The silver coins which will bear the names of the Turkish players on the back will be sold at 15 million lira ($9).

But their names will not only live in a commemorative coin.

Local authorities have already begun naming stadiums, bridges, parks and streets after the players or the Turkish coach.

Left-winger Hasan Sas can stroll down a boulevard named after him in his hometown of southern Adana city.

Gunes can relax at a park named after him in Istanbul, or defender Ergun Penbe can play soccer in a stadium bearing his name in the northern city of Zonguldak.

(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)