In competitive wheelchair basketball, 1. Lig, the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Sports Club boasts a remarkable pair of disabled players who, despite their shared challenges, are not only navigating life but thriving together.
At just 21 years old, Antalya's player Yaşar Ay and 22-year-old Mustafa Harun Gündoğdu from Burdur and Manavgat, respectively, found themselves bound by disability following traffic accidents in 2018.
Enduring numerous surgeries and physical therapy during their respective recoveries, Ay and Gündoğdu discovered a shared passion for wheelchair basketball.
Having dedicated nearly two years to Antalya Metropolitan Municipality ASAT Sports Wheelchair Basketball Team, these athletes not only share the court but also call the same house home.
From daily chores to meals, the duo has forged a unique bond, transcending beyond the basketball arena.
In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), athlete Yaşar Ay recounted the life-altering incident in 2018 when he was hit by a vehicle, leading to 17 days in intensive care and enduring four surgeries during the two-year rehabilitation.
Despite being paralyzed from the waist down, Ay found solace in wheelchair basketball at the Veterans Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Education and Research Hospital in Ankara.
His journey led him to Antalya, where the municipality generously provided a two-bedroom house shared with teammate Mustafa Harun Gündoğdu.
"Living together has been more efficient for us. We attend practices together, share meals and coexist under the same roof. Being disabled, we understand each other better. Before starting sports, my days were spent in hospitals, but sports brought freedom into my life. We can now go out and explore independently, handling everything ourselves," Ay said.
Mustafa Harun Gündoğdu, whose life took a tragic turn due to a drunk driver in 2018, spoke of three years of physical therapy.
During his treatment in Afyonkarahisar, Gündoğdu crossed paths with Yaşar Ay, introducing him to basketball. Now, sharing the same house, their friendship thrives.
"Our friendship is strong, and being disabled, we face no issues. Basketball changed my entire life. Before, my life was confined to going from home to the hospital. Now, I travel to different cities with the team for matches and enjoy evenings out. Life has taken a complete turn," Gündoğdu said.