M. Ahmet Karabay
When discussing the country’s problems, the economy is primarily and intensively talked about. When we move beyond the economy, the system’s distortion and the One-Man problem come to the agenda. However, Turkey has much deeper issues.
One of the most difficult problems to solve is sectarian conflict, more explicitly, the Alevi-Sunni friction. The second is nationalism that feeds racism, in other words, the Kurdish-Turkish divide. The third is xenophobia, and the fourth is football fanaticism, including vendettas formed between teams for one reason or another.
Sectarian conflict, racism, and xenophobia are not today’s topics. I will focus on the events that unfolded in Trabzon following the defeat of the city’s football team, Trabzonspor, at their home ground to Fenerbahçe, revealing a concerning situation.
Discussing football matters should be left to Hasan Cücük, a writer for TR724. Although I love watching football and have traveled to different countries to watch Turkish teams play, I have never supported any team throughout my life. Therefore, I have never viewed incidents from a fan’s perspective. I can only watch games from the press box since a spectator like me, who cheers regardless of which team scores, is something no fan base would tolerate, I presume.
THE PAST OF TRABZON-FENERBAHÇE ENMITY
It is incorrect to trace the root of the hostility between Fenerbahçe and Trabzonspor to the championship battle of the 2010-2011 season. In 2011, both teams finished with 84 points, but Fenerbahçe won the championship on goal difference. It was alleged that Fenerbahçe won the championship through match-fixing, and this controversy, known as the “Match-Fixing Case,” marked a peak in the cold war between the two teams.
However, the intense competition between the two teams did not start in that season. Since their first match on February 13, 1974, at Avni Aker Stadium, which ended 0-0 (a Turkish Cup quarter-final match), nothing has changed over half a century. Tensions and fights have always been part of the matches between these teams.
Even the bus carrying the Fenerbahçe team was shot at in Trabzon. On April 4, 2015, while returning from a Çaykur Rizespor match, the Fenerbahçe bus was targeted by gunfire in the Araklı district of Trabzon while heading to the airport. That this incident remains unresolved after nine years adds another dimension to the situation.
THE CITY THAT CARRIES THE NATURE OF THE BLACK SEA IN ITS CHARACTER
The geography and sea of the Black Sea are rough and wild, a trait that has also reflected on its people. This tough demeanor can be a source of success when directed towards positive endeavors, but it can also lead to problematic outcomes for both the individual and their surroundings.
Trabzon could be described as a city where life revolves around football. People express themselves externally only through the maroon-blue colors, making Trabzonspor everything to the city’s inhabitants. Due to the lack of prominent cultural, artistic, or other events, Trabzonspor has become the city’s sole refuge. Club officials and certain interest groups exploit this sense of belonging as much as possible.
This situation provides an endless source of fuel for fanaticism. Trabzonspor’s fan base has a distinct characteristic that separates it from other team supporters. In other fan bases, as ideological ties strengthen, team fanaticism decreases. However, this is not the case for Trabzonspor supporters, regardless of their ideological affiliation. I’ve seen this in both Islamist and communist supporters from Trabzon.
INTOLERANCE TO DEFEAT
During the Trabzonspor-Fenerbahçe derby on March 17, when the visiting team won 3-2 and attempted to celebrate in the middle of the field, everything changed with one “hamsi-head” rushing onto the field and attempting to attack a Fenerbahçe player. The field quickly filled with fanatic Trabzonspor fans.
However, just last November, after Trabzonspor beat Fenerbahçe with the same score in Istanbul, there was a joyful celebration with goalkeeper UÄŸurcan being lifted into the air, and no disturbances occurred. Moreover, that victory ended Fenerbahçe’s 21-match winning streak.
Following the events at Avni Aker, those against Fenerbahçe shared images on social media of Osayi Samuel, a Fenerbahçe player, allegedly attacking a Trabzonspor fan.
These images are unacceptable. However, footage showing the lead-up to the incident indicates that Osayi was not the initial aggressor.
While Osayi’s actions might be considered self-defense, a football player should not and cannot engage in such behavior.
The chaos on the field led to hours of fear for the safety of Fenerbahçe players. With Trabzonspor fans besieging the airport, the bus carrying the Fenerbahçe team could only leave the stadium hours later. The team’s bus had to disregard airport rules and taxi directly to the plane’s stairs to allow passengers to board.
The incidents following Sunday’s game are not the first of their kind on football fields. Similar situations have occurred in different degrees elsewhere and continue to do so. Those who criticize Trabzon and Trabzonspor without resorting to insults and advocate for the team’s relegation should rebel against this increasingly common situation.
When politics are mixed into any issue, it leads to disaster. Turkish leaders, instead of addressing the economic necessities, have been trying to guide the economy through political calculations. We all see where that has led the country. Politics have also been mixed into football, leading to clubs complaining about empty stands for quite some time, far from achieving international success.
After another match officiated by the same referee, the incident where Ankaragücü’s director Faruk Koca punched referee Halil Umut Meler led to an outcry of “Enough!” by Tayyip ErdoÄŸan. Yet, on the day of these numerous incidents, Mehmet BüyükekÅŸi, the President of the Turkish Football Federation, was nowhere to be seen. The safety of the Fenerbahçe team seemed to matter as little as the punched referee.
On the day of the incidents, Osman Aşkın Bak, sitting as the Minister of Youth and Sports, and the reaction (or lack thereof) from Ciner’s Kasımpaşaspor club and Çaykur Rizespor, were notable for their absence in condemning the ugliness that occurred.
The Presidential Complex, fearing the backlash from the people of Trabzon and potential vote loss before the March 31 elections, chose to turn a blind eye.
Following the unsightly events in Trabzon, FIFA and UEFA made statements, but there was silence from those claiming to govern Turkey and its football.
It’s important to note that those who have experienced how mass incidents start and spread in Turkey know well that such attacks do not happen unless law enforcement permits and facilitates them. If the Fenerbahçe team was trapped in the stadium for nearly four hours, it indicates insufficient precautions were taken before the derby match.
This is not just about Beşiktaş, Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, or Trabzonspor. The issue is about violence taking over football. What happened is a disgrace to national football.
So far, we’ve often discussed the stance of Istanbul’s media. However, little attention has been paid to how the local media in Trabzon fuels and feeds off fanaticism. The media, in pursuit of readership and viewership, needs to self-regulate.
The dark night in Trabzon, as expected, made headlines in the global media, extensively covered by TR724. Nowadays, teams include players from various countries, and Turkish clubs participate in European cups.
The events of March 17th were not only detrimental to Fenerbahçe but also to Trabzonspor and national football. The issue goes beyond just football. There’s a significant rot that needs addressing before any permanent solution to Turkey’s problems can be found.
Without finding a fundamental solution, any of the four fragile links mentioned could easily ignite Turkey into chaos.
