Make history, Turkish press tells International Olympic Committee

Turkish newspapers on Saturday called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to accord the 2020 Summer Olympics to Istanbul saying it would be an historic first.

"Stay true to the spirit of the Olympics - give 2020 to Istanbul," headlined the Haber Turk paper on its front page.

"We are ready to put on a magical show, which would straddle two continents and for the first time be in a Muslim country," it added.

The IOC vote Saturday on who will stage the 2020 Games pits Istanbul against Madrid and Tokyo with the outcome being seen as too close to call after a tough two-year long campaign.

Istanbul was favoured early in the contest, but the Turkish city was hit by social unrest that rocked the government in June.

Still, the Vatan newspaper sounded confident as it headlined: "It is not for Madrid nor for Tokyo, it's Istanbul that is best for the Olympic Games," while Radikal said that it was "the most important day in the history of Turkish sports."

There was backing for the Istanbul bid from top footballer Didier Drogba, who is currently playing for Istanbul side Galatasaray.

"Istanbul is the civilization bridge between past and present," the Ivory Coast striker wrote on his Instagram account. "The Olympics will fit perfectly to Istanbul, You know who to vote for!!!!"

There were fears though that the Istanbul bid could be hit Saturday by a possible protest outside the Buenos Aires hotel where IOC members are staying by Armenians living in Argentina, the CNN-Turk television channel said.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were systematically killed between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of modern Turkey, was falling apart.

Turkey says 500,000 died of fighting and starvation during World War I and categorically rejects the term genocide.