Fifa boss Gianni Infantino has condemned the fan attacks on players in the Turkish football league as “absolutely unacceptable” and called for penalties. Violence on and off the field has “no place in our sport or our society,” wrote the president of the world football association on Instagram on Monday. Supporters of the traditional club Trabzonspor stormed the pitch on Sunday after the 2-3 defeat against Fenerbahçe Istanbul and attacked the opponent’s players and coaches.
“I have said it before and I will say it again: in football, the safety of all players without exception must be guaranteed in order to play the game that brings joy to so many people around the world,” Infantino said. He called on the relevant authorities to “hold the perpetrators of the shocking events in Trabzon accountable for their actions.”
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. 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.
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Criminal sanctions should also be imposed following the investigation. 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.
The Fenerbahçe 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. The game had to be interrupted several times because fans threw objects onto the field.
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. (dpa)
Source: Tagesspiegel
Brayden White, a veteran sports writer at Global Happening, brings his wealth of knowledge and expertise to the sports section. With over a decade of experience, he is committed to delivering high-quality coverage of the latest games and events.
