Galatasaray President Dursun Aydın Özbek visits quake-hit zones
Galatasaray President Dursun Aydın Özbek (center R) poses for a photo with distinguished guests during his visit to quake-affected zones, Hatay, Türkiye, Feb. 19, 2023. (Courtesy of Galatasaray Twitter)


Exactly two weeks after the shocking twin earthquakes that rocked Kahramanmaraş, leaving the nation of Türkiye in a state of shock and awe, Galatasaray Club President Dursun Aydın Özbek and Galatasaray Sportif A.Ş. Deputy Chairperson Erden Timur visited some of the affected areas on Sunday, to bear witness to the destruction firsthand.

Özbek and Timur visited the warehouses in Kahramanmaraş and Hatay, in addition to the Maraş Aid Warehouse established by ultrAslan, a Galatasaray-affiliated football firm renowned for their elaborate choreography and showy use of flares, to meet with the quake-stricken victims of the region.

Prominent figures, such as Kahramanmaraş Mayor Hayrettin Güngör and Hatay Metropolitan Mayor Lütfü Savaş, convened to discuss the intricate details of the container cities to be constructed by the yellow-red club.

While the president of the Turkish Football Federation, Mehmet Büyükekşi, and Eyüpspor President Murat Özkaya visited Kahramanmaraş Municipality and Hatay Metropolitan Municipality, Hatayspor Deputy Chairman Aydın Toksöz was also in attendance during the visit in Hatay.

On the other hand, in another admirable act of charity, Galatasaray left back Emre Taşdemir donated the jersey he wore when he scored in the Fatih Karagümrük match to benefit the victims of the devastating earthquake.

He donated the jersey to the auction to be organized by the Lions' club in a bid to aid in the relief of the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquake victims.