Turkey has opened its sports facilities to athletes who have qualified to represent the country at Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images

Turkey has opened its sports facilities to athletes who have qualified to represent the country at the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Turkish Sports Minister Mehmet Kasapoğlu has instructed the facilities, closed in response to the coronavirus crisis, to open for athletes to train individually.

Kasapoğlu said Turkish athletes would make full use of the extra year they have to train and prepare after the Olympics and Paralympics were pushed back to 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Sports Minister claimed Turkey would return with more medals and success as a result of the postponement.

The Turkish Sports Minister is expecting the country to win more medals as a result of the postponement of Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images
The Turkish Sports Minister is expecting the country to win more medals as a result of the postponement of Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images

"Our athletes have been trying very hard for Tokyo for a long time," Kasapoğlu said.

"I have witnessed this in person.

"At the end of this delay, our athletes' efforts will not be a waste. 

"We will be representing our country, our glorious flag and our nation together more strongly next year."

Turkey has reported in excess of 107,000 cases of COVID-19, the seventh-highest number in the world, and more than 2,700 deaths.