Just a week into the new Turkish Süper Lig season, Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç became the target of violence in a heated match against Göztepe.
The incident, which occurred in the 51st minute, saw Koç losing his balance after being struck by a plastic bottle thrown from the stands, followed by an attempted assault by several fans.
The aftermath has sparked widespread condemnation and a flurry of statements from various football authorities.
As tensions boiled over at Göztepe’s home ground, the club quickly issued a statement condemning the unauthorized entry of Ali Koç onto the field, despite repeated warnings from their CEO, Kerem Ertan.
The club emphasized that such actions, especially if they occurred at Fenerbahçe’s stadium, would have led to severe consequences.
Göztepe also expressed their commitment to pursuing legal action against those responsible for the incident, invoking the Law on the Prevention of Violence and Disorder in Sports.
Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe’s fierce rival, did not stay silent on the matter.
The club extended their sympathy to both Göztepe and Fenerbahçe, condemning the incident as a continuation of the chaos that has plagued Turkish football.
In a strongly worded statement, Galatasaray pointed fingers at those who, in the past, incited violence against referees and orchestrated similar provocations, suggesting that the lack of adequate response to previous incidents has only fueled the current toxic climate.
The individual responsible for pushing Ali Koç, identified as Fatih Özkan, was swiftly apprehended by the police.
Özkan, who was not an official Göztepe representative but was wearing an accreditation badge, claimed he only intended to remove Koç from the field and that his push was unintentional.
However, Özkan’s troubled history, including a previous charge of attempted murder related to a separate football incident, has cast a dark shadow over his defense.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) was quick to release a statement addressing the events.
They criticized Koç’s decision to enter the field, labeling it a violation of the rules, but equally condemned the physical attack against him.
The TFF stressed the importance of maintaining harmony in Turkish football and promised a thorough investigation, with swift decisions expected to follow.
In response to the incident, Fenerbahçe issued a strongly worded statement on their official website, detailing the sequence of events and expressing their outrage.
They revealed that Koç and other Fenerbahçe officials had approached the authorities outside the stadium to address the grievances of their fans, who had been pepper-sprayed and denied entry.
It was during this time that Koç was assaulted by Özkan, who had brazenly continued to attend the match after the attack.
Fenerbahçe has vowed to pursue legal action against all individuals involved in the incident, including Özkan and any negligent officials.
The club’s High Council President, Şekip Mosturoğlu, expressed deep concern over the ongoing mistreatment of Fenerbahçe fans in Izmir, which he likened to the infamous 2022 Turkish Cup Final.
Mosturoğlu demanded an immediate end to the abuses and assured fans that Fenerbahçe would seek justice through all available legal channels.
