Top Turkish clubs refuse to play Supercup in Saudi Arabia
The transfer of the Super Cup to Saudi Arabia was intended to increase the market value of Turkish soccer, according to the association and club officials. But the trip to Riyadh ended in a scandal: Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe did not even show up, but left again due to a drastic ban.
The premiere of the Turkish Football Super Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was canceled shortly before the scheduled start of the match. According to state media reports, the two Istanbul arch-rivals Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe refused to take part in the match. The reason is reportedly that authorities in Saudi Arabia have banned the teams from carrying banners or posters with the image of the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
In a joint statement issued by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) and the two clubs, "disruptions in the organization" were cited as the reason for the cancellation at short notice. The match between defending champions Galatasaray and Fenerbahce will now be "postponed to a later date due to our joint decision". They thanked the soccer association and the relevant institutions and organizations of the host country for their efforts in organizing the Super Cup. State broadcaster TRT Spor reported that both teams had returned home the same evening.
Fenerbahçe reportedly insisted that its players carry a banner reading "Peace at home, peace in the world" by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
Earlier, both Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe fans, among others, had protested against TFF's decision to hold the final in Riyadh. They had argued that the Istanbul derby should have been held in Turkey as this year marks the 100th anniversary of the modern republic. The clubs and the federation, on the other hand, said in their joint statement that the 100th anniversary of the founding of the republic and the federation was an occasion to hold the match abroad in order to increase the brand value of Turkish soccer and the clubs.
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Despite the controversy, Fenerbahçe Istanbul expressed their desire to honor Mustafa Kemal Atatürk by carrying a banner with his famous quote at the Supercup. Regrettably, their request was not granted, leading to the teams' decision to withdraw from the event in Saudi Arabia, as Galatasaray Istanbul also chose to stand by their fellow Istanbul club.
Source: www.ntv.de
