Fenerbahçe club management confirmed on Monday that it was considering withdrawing from the Turkish football championship, a day after violent brawls followed a pitch invasion in Trabzon. The decision will be quickly discussed and voted on in the general meeting.
A return kick from Michy Batshuayi and a few punches from Bright Osayi-Samuel spoke volumes for the intensity of the general battle after the whistle for this Sunday’s match between Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce in Turkey. Targeted by local club supporters after their win (2-3), the Istanbul club’s players defended themselves as best they could during the chaos following the pitch invasion.
The day after the horrific violence in which twelve people were arrested, Fenerbahce expressed their frustration after being targeted by opposition fans. Current second in the standings, just two points behind Galatasaray, has confirmed it wants to take steps to ensure such incidents do not repeat themselves.
Withdrawal debate on 2 April
In a press release published on its official website this Monday, Fenerbahce confirmed the convening of a general meeting on April 2 in which the sole agenda was the follow-up to this unfortunate event.
The Istanbul club, where many former Ligue 1 players such as Cengiz Under and Alexander Djiku play, also made it clear in its communication that withdrawal from the championship was among the measures being studied.
Condemning the “unacceptable” incidents, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) assured on Sunday that “necessary criminal sanctions will be imposed on those responsible for these incidents” while FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Instagram that “officials are able to confirm. That this is respected at all levels and that the perpetrators of the traumatic events in Trabzon are held accountable for their actions.
Sunday evening’s violence between Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce added to an already long list of incidents in Turkish football. During December, the first division was disrupted for a week after the president of the Ankaragucu club attacked the referee after a match.
Top articles
