ZURICH.- The Honorary President of the Turkish FA, Şenes Erzik, has donated his personal collection to the FIFA World Football Museum. More than 200 objects, including coins, medals, mini-trophies and jerseys, have been handed over to the home of football history in Zurich.

“This is an important day for me. It was my decision and my explicit wish that the football memorabilia that I have collected over my entire life so far go to where football heritage belongs,” said Erzik, an Honorary Member of both FIFA and UEFA. “Football has given me so much, and I am very happy to give something back.”

Born in the city of Giresun in the Black Sea region on 18 September 1942, Şenes Erzik was educated at Robert College in Istanbul, going on to Boğaziçi University’s school of business administration and economics. Erzik worked as a banker, a UNICEF project manager and a businessman. Appointed to the TFF board for the first time in 1977, he was President from 1989 to 1997. Erzik became a UEFA vice-president in 1994 and a member of the FIFA Executive Committee in 1996, and he held a number of positions within the organisations, whether as committee chairman, heading working groups or as a member of numerous bodies.

“It is an honour and a privilege for us to be the repository of Şenes Erzik’s private collection,” explained Marco Fazzone, Managing Director of the FIFA World Football Museum. “Over the past few months, I have come to know him as an inspiration to the global football community in regard to social responsibility, values, education and the positive aspects of our sport, and as a true gentleman, a wise man full of passion and experience who is always respected and respectful. We are proud to be the stewards of this collection and will ensure that it is protected and accessible.”