Sports fans attack players
Punches, kicks, corner flag as a spear – escalation in Turkey
Status: 18.03.2024 | Reading time: 3 minutes
Arrests after fan attacks in Turkey
Twelve people have been arrested so far following attacks on players in the Turkish football league. These include a fan who threw an object at the coach of the Fenerbahce club and one who attacked a player with a corner flag.
Violence is escalating in Turkish football. Trabzonspor fans stormed the pitch and attacked Fenerbahce players. Their club bosses threw bottles at the opposing spectators in the stands. The association and government are investigating.
Fans of the traditional club Trabzonspor have caused the next scandal in the Turkish football league. Dozens of supporters stormed the pitch after the 2:3 (0:2) against Fenerbahce Istanbul on Sunday evening and attacked the cheering players and the opponent’s coaching team, as Fenerbahce announced after the game. Among other things, goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was attacked.
There were also physical altercations between players and opposing fans, as Turkish media consistently reported. Photos and videos of the wild scenes after the final whistle were distributed by the media and on social networks. The images show fans and players attacking each other with punches and kicks. A fan pulled the corner flag out of its anchorage to use it as a spear against players. Guards took the gun from him just in time.
When the corner flag becomes a weapon: a Trabzon fan attacks Fenerbahce players
Source: AFP/HANDOUT
The riot was triggered by a Trabzonspor fan who ran onto the pitch to fight the players. The Fener professionals then attacked him and struck, including former Dortmund professional Michy Batshuayi, who scored the winner in the 87th minute. In a video, the 30-year-old can be seen watching another fan storm past him on the sidelines and giving him a kung fu kick at chest height.
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The game had already been interrupted several times because fans threw objects onto the field. Members of the Fenerbahce club management threw bottles at the opposing fans from the stands. The bosses were then dragged into the VIP box by stewards to avoid anything worse happening.
Turkish association in exchange with government
The Turkish Football Association said the incidents were “never acceptable.” He is in contact with both clubs and government officials to deal with what happened. Criminal sanctions should also be imposed following the investigation. “In order to prevent these incidents from happening again, no one should doubt that once the investigation is completed, the necessary criminal sanctions will be imposed on those responsible,” it added. The Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on the X platform that the identification of the fans who entered the field was ongoing. An investigation has been initiated and violence on football pitches is unacceptable.
Space problems: The safety of the players could no longer be guaranteed
Source: AFP/HANDOUT
The Fenerbahce professionals and the referees had to be protected by security personnel and fled into the dressing rooms from the onrushing fans, as the media further reported. Turkish football has recently made negative headlines with violent incidents. Last year, referee Halil Umut Meler was attacked after a game. Meler now also led the game in Trabzon.
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Fenerbahce is in second place in the Süper Lig with 79 points after 30 match days and, two points behind league leaders Galatasaray, still has a chance of winning the championship. In third place, Trabzonspor is already 30 points behind Fenerbahce and is still fighting to qualify for European competition.
